Dillon Gabriel explains why he picked Oregon over other teams in transfer portal

Former Oklahoma quarterback Dillon Gabriel will lead the Oregon football team this fall after transferring in the offseason, giving the Ducks one of the top transfers on the market.

For Gabriel, the decision was pretty close to automatic once he heard what Oregon could offer.

“I had had conversations with two programs on top of Oregon, and I kind of just did my due diligence,” Gabriel said at Big Ten Media Days. “But I think once I did go on that visit to Oregon and was able to see it, be at the facility and talk through things, I think it was one that I couldn’t pass up.”

So what exactly caught Dillon Gabriel’s attention and helped him land in Eugene?

“Having conversations of alignment immediately and being in my sixth year, knowing what’s real and what’s not, it was one that I saw right away and had to make a decision,” he explained.

He’ll bring a whole lot to the table for the Ducks, as he seeks to replace Heisman Trophy finalist Bo Nix. Last season at Oklahoma he had his best year yet, throwing for 3,660 yards and 30 touchdowns, while also rushing for 373 yards and 12 scores.

He will enter the 2024 season as one of the Heisman Trophy favorites.

For all the hype, though, the recruiting process itself with Oregon was relatively low-key.

“It was good. I think with anything, throughout that process it’s just gaining information on one another,” Dillon Gabriel noted. “But yeah I think the recruiting process is what it is and I think everyone that was a quarterback in the portal was able to have conversations with different schools.

“Going through my third recruiting process, I know it’s a stressful time for anyone. And anyone who’s transferred, although there’s beauty in it with new beginnings and all that, everyone knows the stress and a lot that comes with it, whether it’s the moving, moving companies, moving in, there’s just a lot that comes with it. So the faster you can make a decision and feel good about it, be decisive, then it allows you to act accordingly.”

Dillon Gabriel did that and now he and Oregon will be looking to reap the rewards this fall.