The NFL preseason is in full swing, but Mililani graduate Dillon Gabriel will not suit up for Cleveland’s exhibition debut Friday against Carolina.
The Browns rookie quarterback will be held out for precautionary reasons as he nurses a hamstring injury. Gabriel is currently listed third on the depth chart behind veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, and ahead of fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders.
Before his status was announced, Gabriel said he was eager for the chance to step onto the field for the first time as a pro.
“I don’t want to give you the cliché answer and say I’m extremely excited, but as you can imagine, it’s my first time, so it’ll be a lot of fun being able to get around a new team and compete against a new team, different from college in that way,” Gabriel said. “Just me being myself, and being able to go out there and operate — at the quarterback position, you make good decisions, the rest will come into play.”
Cleveland’s opponent will feature another Hawai‘i connection. Carolina rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan, a Waimanalo native and first-round pick, will make his preseason debut.
Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. HST on NFL Network.