Browns QB Gabriel embracing addition of Sanders

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns' enactment of backmost Dillon Gabriel successful the 3rd circular of the NFL draught was a wide astonishment for a subordinate pegged arsenic a Day 3 prime -- but it was rapidly overshadowed by the squad drafting Shedeur Sanders successful the 5th circular and ending his shocking fall.

Sanders has grabbed headlines successful and extracurricular of Cleveland since the pick, but Gabriel said helium is embracing Sanders' summation to a crowded backmost room.

"I emotion it," Gabriel said Saturday earlier the Browns' 2nd rookie minicamp practice. "I emotion it due to the fact that of who it is. I deliberation conscionable for america both, you tin larn from 1 another, but besides it's not conscionable america 2 successful the room. At slightest for close present it is. But going into the year, Kenny [Pickett], Joe [Flacco], and adjacent Deshaun [Watson], conscionable a clump of guys who played a clump of shot that we tin each larn from 1 another."

On the archetypal time of rookie minicamp, Sanders and Gabriel divided signifier reps with Gabriel taking the archetypal fistful of snaps successful squad drills but manager Kevin Stefanski downplayed the signifier order. Stefanski, though, did accidental that the rookies' enactment successful minicamp is some contention and instructional and that the backmost contention successful the coming months would beryllium an "all-encompassing evaluation."

Both Sanders and Gabriel are transitioning to the pros aft lengthy and palmy assemblage careers. Sanders was a four-year subordinate astatine FCS Jackson State earlier joining his father, Deion Sanders, to Colorado. Gabriel was a six-year subordinate who made 63 starts during stints astatine Oregon, Oklahoma and UCF.

Despite a backmost country with plentifulness of contenders for the starting job, Gabriel said helium wants to attack each signifier arsenic if he'll beryllium the starter.

"I lone cognize 1 mode to prepare," Gabriel said. "I lone cognize 1 mode to enactment and that is arsenic the starter. I've played a clump of shot and person a batch of experience, truthful I'm going to usage that to my advantage. ... I deliberation each time I attack is similar I'm going to spell get that rep and I unrecorded it similar that."

Sanders said his absorption isn't connected proving anyone incorrect aft a stunning autumn successful the draft.

"It's conscionable maine versus me," Sanders said. "I can't power immoderate different determination too that. So, I conscionable effort to beryllium my champion aforesaid astatine each times. ... My occupation present isn't to beryllium radical wrong. I'm proving myself right."