Dillon Gabriel almost had it! He had a monster season, but the Heisman just wasn’t on the cards this time. Tough break, dude. Travis Hunter snatched the trophy with 2231 points, leaving quarterbacks like Gabriel and Miami’s Cam Ward in the dust. Gabriel finished third with just 24 first-place votes and 516 points. Ouch! It had to sting. But hey, he’s not alone. His girlfriend’s been rock-solid through thick and thin. Sometimes, winning isn’t everything. Having someone in your corner during the tough times? That’s the real victory.

Dillon Gabriel might not have won the Heisman, but he’s definitely getting the appreciation he deserves. And his girlfriend is making sure everyone knows it.

Zo Caswell is reflecting on his journey and how he inspires her every day. That’s real support. The feels are real this weekend as she hit IG saying, “Heisman weekend in NYC 🥂☺️ @dillongabriel I can’t express enough how proud I am of you. Going to events like this reminds me of how incredible your journey as a player and a person has been. You inspire me every day. I am so honored to be by your side and share this life with you❤️.”

Well, there is no doubt that Travis Hunter is a deserving winner of the Heisman, but Dillon Gabriel is also no less in terms of excellence. This dude’s got 297 completions in 406 attempts, 3558 yards, 28 TDs, and just 6 interceptions this season – that’s a serious contender right there. Oregon Ducks’ success was completely tied to his performance. He led them to an undefeated season, but ironically, that might have actually hurt his stocks. Some might argue that their dominance made their wins seem less impressive. Even in the latest episode of Gojo & Golic, the hosts highlight the same fact, saying,

“They just kept winning, kept being No. 1, and were kind of forgotten about as they rolled through their schedule.” 

Oregon’s offensive success is because of Dillon Gabriel’s outstanding execution this season. And if one game could perfectly sum up his capabilities, it would be their showdown against Penn State. Leaving him out of the top performer conversations? That just shows how quickly people forget about the best team in the country. And not winning the Heisman? That was the final nail in the coffin. But is it really the end for him?

An uncertain future awaits Dillon Gabriel

It’s a bummer getting this close to your target and not achieving it. But in the case of Dillon Gabriel, the misery is not over yet. Despite being a Heisman finalist, Gabriel is not on the list of top picks in the 2025 NFL draft prospects. Surprising, right? There are also possibilities that it might go to three rounds for Dillon to get into his desired team. Now there is plenty of time for him to improve his stats and make a better projection knowing the fact that Oregon is in the no. 1 position in the playoffs. But for now, he is trailing behind other quarterback prospects.

Right now, Dillon Gabriel might not be a top draft pick. You’ve got guys like Shedeur and Cam Ward in the mix. But Gabriel’s a serious talent. He’s got the skills to turn heads in the NFL. And let’s not forget he finished third in the Heisman, ahead of both Ward and Sanders.

For starters, the Los Angeles Rams have shown their interest in getting him into their program, and their QB-friendly alignments can do wonders for Gabriel. Furthermore, being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers would provide a great learning experience alongside Baker Mayfield; however, this is purely conjecture.

At 23, Gabriel’s considered a bit older for a rookie. And with average speed and arm strength, most draft experts see him going later than the first round. His size (he’s 5’11”) is also a concern for some teams. But hey, even though his future is uncertain and the Heisman just slipped away, Gabriel had a fantastic year overall. He won the Big Ten and was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Year. Not too shabby!