Why did Dillon Gabriel transfer to Oregon from Oklahoma? Revisiting Ducks QB's 2024 portal decision

The landscape of college football has changed in the last few years as the NCAA tries to find the right way to handle players transferring.

It used to be that players had to sit out for a season unless they went down a division. Now, players can seemingly enter the transfer portal at will and play for their new team in the next season.

Dillon Gabriel was the starting quarterback for the University of Oklahoma. The Sooners were headed to the SEC alongside rival Texas, but Gabriel didn't join them. Instead, he eyed the NFL before deciding to transfer to Oregon.

Let's take a look back and revisit what led to Gabriel leaving Oklahoma for Oregon. 

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Why did Dillon Gabriel transfer to Oregon?

Gabriel began his career in 2019 at UCF. He spent three years playing for the Knights and then transferred to Oklahoma.

With the extra eligibility years provided to him due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gabriel spent two years with the Sooners. Initially, Gabriel had his sights set on the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Even though he had a solid 2023 with Oklahoma finishing 10-2, Gabriel didn't receive favorable draft grades. Head coach Brent Venables said he didn't realize that his quarterback was staying in college until a meeting after the season. In the meeting, Gabriel said he would stay in college and transfer.

Venables said the following in an interview with ESPN:

You can't make a guy stay. The guy is trying to find the next thing; the next chapter for him. I'm sure there was probably some disappointment that [Gabriel] wasn't more highly thought of in the NFL. He had an amazing year. He was a fantastic quarterback. But we didn't run anybody off or things like that.

I did not know at that time that he wasn't going to go to the NFL. ... I didn't even know I had to fight this fight. I didn't even realize that you were even considering coming back. And he says, 'Yeah, but I just want to get closer to home'. We hugged and shook hands. He was a little emotional and I was. It was all really good and positive.

Gabriel was born in Mililani, Hawaii. The quarterback cited wanting to be closer to home as one reason for transferring.

Gabriel eventually landed with Oregon, which had just revitalized the career of former Auburn quarterback Bo Nix, who was drafted 12th overall by the Denver Broncos in the 2024 NFL Draft. 

Dillon Gabriel stats

Gabriel has always lit up the box score. The lone outlier was in 2021. He took a hit during a multi-lateral play in an early season game and had to be carted off the field. He had suffered a broken collarbone, and his season was over.

Gabriel announced that he would transfer in November 2021.

Dillon Gabriel NFL Draft projection

The 2024 quarterback draft class was loaded at the top. Caleb Williams was the unquestioned No. 1 pick and led reigning Heisman Trophy winner Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, reigning national champion J.J. McCarthy and Bo Nix. There was a giant gap between these players and Spencer Rattler, who ended up going in the fifth round.

Gabriel likely would have slotted in after Nix and ahead of Rattler, and he could have been taken in the third or fourth round. 

Now, Gabriel's evaluations are all over the place. Some analysts have him as a mid-second-round pick while others think he will be a day three pick unless he has an incredibly impressive season at Oregon. His size — he's listed between 5-10 and 6 feet depending on where you look — will knock him down draft boards.

This year's class is currently led by Shadeur Sanders, Cam Ward and Carson Beck. Gabriel should be able to be drafted in the middle rounds, but he will need to finish the regular season strong and test well at the Combine.

For now, his draft grades shouldn't have moved much from what he heard last year that made him return to college.