QB Dillon Gabriel (7.25.25)
What are you doing when you’re getting reps? How are you trying to maximize that time?
“Yeah, I think a rep is a rep in general and you know, we try as quarterbacks knowing that there’s not many reps to go around just as how practice goes when you’re behind the center and trying to take as much mental reps as you can. That’s, you know, been to our benefit, to be able to get it that way. So. And then you talk about it in the film room as well. So there’s, there’s a combination of ways to, to make it happen. But, you know, of course the physical is a little different.”
What do you think you’re doing between the end of minicamp and start a training camp here to get better or whatever?
“Yeah, I just got better, got to it, you know, and in every area of my game. And I think mentally, you know, you’re able to come out of OTAs and know a lot about what we’re trying to do accomplish, but physically, you know, you’re able to actually go to work and know how the coaches want things. So gave us time to go execute that and feel good about it going into training camp.”
So did you throw to players from college or what did you do?
“Yeah, a mix. You know, I think as you get around town, you try to find receivers that you can and, you know, shout out to Oklahoma Baptist University. I had some receivers out there, but they’re running wild. But, you know, was able to connect with, you know, Dre (DeAndre Carter) and Jamari (Thrash) in Los Angeles as well. So you just try to find receivers where you can, but, you know, as much as you can connect with the guys that you’re going to play with, it definitely helps.”
Dylan, it seems in the two days of training camp, there’s been an uptick in number of play action plays compared to minicamp. Bill Musgrave said he’s surprised at how good you are at it. Can you explain did you work on it during the break?
“Yeah, everyone does, you know, and I think just something that you’re going to want to pride yourself on and how good you can make the run look like the pass and vice versa. So, that’s something that you try to work on and we emphasize throughout practice, but also, the time you have off to continue to rep it.”
Dylan, what do you feel like you have to do to win this starting job?
“Yeah, you know, I think for most it’s just focusing on where I’m at today. I think a lot of people are focused on results, but the more you can just be right where your feet are, results will come. And for me, I’m just focused on today. You know, I got a practice today that I look forward to and it’s been a blast to be able to learn and compete every single day.”
Is that something you’ve had to work on throughout your time playing football or have you kind of always had that mentality of being able to stay present in the moment instead of being focused?
“I think I just had to grow up at a young age pretty quick, football wise. You know, starting as a freshman in high school, doing the same in college. You know, it’s a different situation, but there are some trends of, you know, learning and being able to translate to a new game or at least a new level of the game. So for me, it’s just been my way of life – this is who I’ve been, and it’s just a certain way of how I attack it.”
Trying to lock in those mental reps. When you’re trying to lock in things in the film room and then even when you’re taking those valuable physical reps, what’s your process to lock all that in and get the most out?
“Yeah, I think elite focus, you know, it’s difficult to talk about or difficult to actually do, but easy to talk about. And I think that’s something that you just have to continue to pride yourself on. And I’ve had a lot of reps of that, but every rep is precious physically, but even mentally, when you’re behind center and trying to get those reps, those are precious as well. So try to do the combination of the two and then when you’re in meetings, you know, be able to talk through it so you feel extremely prepared for when you do get on the grass. But, it’s a culmination of a lot of things and that’s why being present is huge. So you don’t let a day pass by without you being extremely focused on what’s at hand.”
We talked about how hard is it, as you’re talking about, to stay in that moment, be present and all that on a day-to-day basis, while also at the same time knowing and understanding that you are competing for a starting job as a rookie in the National Football League?
Yeah, I’ve told you multiple times how I view competition is beat myself yesterday. And how can I be better than I was yesterday? And I think when you have that focus, it’s going to make everyone better. It’s going to make your team better, it’s going to make our run better. And that’s all I can do, control what I can control. And anytime you think outside of that, you’re not serving the moment.”
We talked about the limited reps, but in minicamp, when you got the reps with the first team, how valuable are those and what did you take away from that experience?
“Yeah, reps are reps, pros are pros. Of course, there are some guys that, you know, have played a lot more ball than others, but for the most part, I think you can just maximize them. And, you know, the speed of the game is typical. You know, there are elite players on both sides of the ball, but the more you can get tries at it, of course it’ll help.”
Dylan, how do you feel like you processed or assimilated the offense in those five weeks? Do you feel like you went home, you had so much heat down your plate? Did it kind of all kind of come together and you got back here and the lights were on even more?
“Yeah, I like what coach Stefanski says, you got to take on an elephant one bite at a time. And, you know, we definitely were delivered the elephant. So just trying to take it not day-by-day, but install by install and try to dissect it there. And I think within an install, you can get runs, passes, play actions, different progressions, things that you have to think through. But the more you can conceptualize it for yourself and, you know, create ways of memorizing it, I think that just goes down to study habits and life skills.”
Honestly, is there anything that has surprised you in the transition to pro life versus college life, either on the field or off the field?
“Honestly, I just love how dedicated everyone is to the game, and there’s a precision you have to play with within the NFL. And of course, I’m speaking just from practice reps, but of course the game as well. And I think it’s a blast being a competitor because you are demanded, you know, it’s a demand to play at your best and that’s the fun part of what we do. So, I get excited every time I go on the field because I get to do that.”
Dillon, going off of that, what’s been the biggest off-the-field adjustment for you now, going from college to a full-time job doing this?
“Not, not much, I would say more so just moving in general, I think people go through little moving things here and there that maybe you don’t necessarily think of. And just for anyone, I think the last time you moved, if you can think through that, there are just some steps that come with it. So I guess that’s probably the most difficult part. But once you get past that, then you’re right back into your routine.”
Dillon, we just got a chance to, to talk to Shedeur (Sanders) and he’s so entertaining and fun to talk to. I’m just wondering what has your relationship been with, like, with him? Like, have you guys been having a blast together? Do you hang out together a lot? You know, away from here when we don’t see you guys? How’s that going?
“Yeah, it’s good. You know, I think being in two similar, you know, times of our career of rookies and trying to learn and figure out our way, I think, you know, there’s a bunch of ways to do it and we’ve just been doing it by being ourselves. So, it’s been a lot of fun that way. And as you know, we have a fun room and a room that there’s just a bunch of diversity in a lot of ways. And we just use that to our advantage, keep learning, keep growing.”
What have you picked up from that time in that room, you know, from listening to guys like Joe (Flacco) and Kenny (Pickett)? What, is there something in particular that before you got in there, you really didn’t having your toolbox that now, you know, you kind of, you kind of use it to your advantage.
“Yeah, I think you just, you grow from their experience in the sense that you can use a lot of the, the ways their study habits or maybe things that they’ve been a lot more efficient in and I say that in just day-to-day and how they go about their process of whether studying, taking care of their body, or even just thinking about a certain play. So, there’s a mix of all that. And as you can tell, there’s three guys, Deshaun (Watson), Joe and Kenny, who’ve played a bunch of ball at different spots, so they’ve seen a bunch of different football. So, we can all learn from that.”
How much do you miss Hawaii?
“I’m used to it, you know, I always knew and I actually went even further right when I was 18 to UCF, so really went, you know, from west to east as far as you possibly can and at least in the country. And yeah, I’m just used to it. I know that there’s a flight involved, but it’s all good. I get the family out as much as I can. And, you know, Hawaii has always been special to me and always will be.”
How much emphasis you put on getting involved out of your hand in a hurry and how do you balance that with, ‘Hey, I want to take some shots down the field.’?
“Yeah, I think playing on time, you can still take shots down the field. And I think that’s a constant balance a quarterback is playing – when you can take the cheese, or maybe you got to drop it down. And sometimes, people see a check down maybe as results based and versus maybe a check down that gets an explosive. Right. So, there’s, constant conversation about it when you can continue to play off one another. But I think it’s, you know, the balance of quarterback plays really in every progression.”
You guys have fans out here for the first time today. What are your thoughts on playing in front of the crowd for the first time?
“It’ll be interesting. It was my first time, so it’ll be interesting. You know, in college you kind of have, you know, the donors or some family friends come around, but be curious to see the environment and see what it’s like.”
Are you guys in the team hotel right now or are you in your own places? I’m just asking because I saw a funny thing yesterday that Aaron Rodgers and DK (Metcalf) talking about room together and I’m wondering, are you and Shedeur, like, rooming together at a team hotel or anything?
“No, we got a team hotel and yeah, we got our individual spaces.”
I know you talked about researching Joe Flacco a little bit. Do you have any sense of kind. Do you have any sense of how he made this fan base fall in love with him in 2023 and that little run that he made in December to get them to the playoffs. Did you happen to come across any of that when you’re looking up stuff?
“Aware of it. I think Joe’s (Flacco) journey is very interesting, I was very curious about it. But just seeing the type of ball he’s been playing at an elite level and in many different spots, it’s not by coincidence. So, a lot to learn from him, but I just lead through questions and try to listen. I think whenever you ask certain questions, then you can get certain answers based on how curious you really are.”
Do you guys study that film from his (Joe Flacco) time here previously?
“I think it’s a mixture of everything. I think not only quarterbacks, but receivers, and if there’s a route there that someone had ran and you’re trying to install a certain route, I think there’s ways to be able to teach it through certain guys’ experience of running it.
“Is it hard not to press when you are in a four-man race like this, limited reps, perhaps you make a mistake, you might not be right back up?
I’d challenge you on the reps piece. There’s a bunch of reps to go around in terms of mentally, physically, the combination. But pressing, I don’t believe in that. I’m a true believer in just being consistent, being right where your feet are and maximizing the reps you do got. The moment you’re thinking about the reps you don’t have, you’re not focusing on the reps you do have. So, I’m trying to answer your question, but you just got to be where your feet are and take advantage of that, because that’s all you got.”
Yesterday Andrew Berry mentioned that four quarterbacks is a real possibility on this football team. Is knowing that, since you guys have all gotten so close in that room, maybe somebody doesn’t have to be the odd man out and that all four could be on the roster?
“Yeah, it just has nothing to do with what I can control, right? It’s up to them. They make the decisions, I just lace my cleats up, get on the grass and happy to do what I do. Appreciate it.”
You seem to be good at finding small cracks getting the ball through the smallest windows. Is that a result of you needing to find different passing lanes because of your height?
“Yeah, I think regardless, a quarterback has to find passing lanes. But also, it’s not always going to be the perfect situation. And I think for anyone, you’re going have to find those tight windows and make those certain throws. That’s at every level. Regardless of physical ability, you’re going to have to make certain throws that are contributing to winning. So, it’s all situational based.”
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