Dillon Gabriel NIL Deal 2024: Career, College, Records and More

Dillon Gabriel’s Early Life and High School Career

Dillon Gabriel is currently one of the best quarterbacks on the gridiron and easily one of the best quarterbacks ever in the NCAA’s history. The Oregon QB Dillon was born to Garrett and Dori Gabriel in a tight-knit family in Mililani, Hawaii on December 28, 2000. Gabriel began his football journey at Mililani High School where he had been a three-time first-team All OIA honoree. He was recognized as the Gatorade High School Football Player of the Year for Hawaii when he racked up a staggering 38 touchdowns while passing for 3,754 yards in his senior year. Dillon Gabriel closed his high school career by setting a state record with 9,948 passing yards, and hundred-and-five touchdowns.

Dillon Gabriel’s College Career: UCF Knights

After an incredibly successful school football career, Dillon Gabriel initially committed to Army-West Point. Later, Gabriel decommitted from Army-West Point to commit to the Ducks as a consensus three-star prospect in 2018. While he was initially supposed to be a backup to Brandon Wimbush, Gabriel quickly carved his own name in the game. As a true freshman, Dillion Gabriel played all 13 games, starting the last 12, and was a hit among the fans and the coaches. He led an offense that just straight-up brought him ranks all over. He stood second in the country with 540.5 yards per game, fifth in scoring at 43.4 points per game, and eighth in passing with 316.7 yards per game. The freshman quarterback completed 236 of 398 passes for a UCF freshman record of 3,653 yards and 29 touchdowns, with only seven picks. Plus, he rushed for 78 yards and snagged four more TDs on the ground.

Dillion Gabriel went on to rank fourth nationally and top the AAC in yards per completion at 15.5. Gabriel also threw multiple TDs in 10 games and made sure to toss at least one in every game. He also grabbed Gasparilla Bowl MVP honors after throwing for 260 yards, two touchdowns, and rushing for another against Marshall.  Gabriel was promising enough for the coach to make him a starter for his sophomore season. Gabriel did not disappoint Gus Malzahn as Dillon Gabriel was the man in his 2020 sophomore year, starting all 10 games for his team. Gabriel also made waves  in the gridiron with a massive 3,739 yards of total offense, which was second in the nation, averaging 373.9 yards per game. Gabriel got praise from the pundits and the fans alike for his immaculate accuracy in the gridiron, hitting sixty percent of his passes, completing 248 of 413 for 3,570 yards. That’s not just it as he led the league with 32 touchdowns, which was the fourth most in the entire country, all while only throwing four picks. Gabriel led the Knights to a solid 6–4 season and took them to the Boca Raton Bowl. He threw for 217 yards and 2 touchdowns, completing 21 of 45 passes in the game, but they ended up falling 49–23.

In the 2021 season, Gabriel’s magic at Central Florida ended early after starting in three games as he suffered an injury in his left clavicle. Before his final play against Louisville, Gabriel completed 70 of 102 passes, hitting a sharp 68.6% for 814 yards. He also threw nine touchdowns, with just three picks. In November 2021, Gabriel posted that he would be entering the transfer portal.

Transfer to Oklahoma Sooners

Dillon Gabriel committed to Oklahoma Sooners three weeks after announcing to transfer to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Gabriel snagged Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year honors from the coaches following his commitment to the Sooners. He also made his name on the honorable mention for All-Big 12. Gabriel started 12 of the team's 13 games but took a tough hit in the second quarter at TCU, which kept him out of the next game against Texas. Despite that, he was recognized as Big 12 Newcomer of the Week three times and Offensive Player of the Week once. He also ranked second in the Big 12 for pretty much everything with 264 passing yards per game, 290.3 total yards of offense, a staggering 154.4 passer rating. The QB averaged 13.8 yards per completion and 8.6 per attempt. There’s not only that, he threw 25 touchdowns too.

In his senior year at Oklahoma, Gabriel dominated the gridiron as he started all 12 regular season games. He completed 266 of 384 passes for 3,660 yards and thirty touchdowns, with only six picks. He also rushed 93 times for 373 yards and led the team with 12 rushing touchdowns, the second most nationally among QBs. After two incredible seasons with the Sooners, Dillon Gabriel hit the transfer portal again in December 2023.

Final College Year: Oregon Ducks

Dillon Gabriel committed to the Oregon Ducks for the final year of his college football career as a four-star prospect, aiming to prove his skills in the Power Five after killing it in the Group of Five. 

Dillon Gabriel’s Notable Achievements and Records

Heading into the 2024 season as a senior, Gabriel has already made history as he tied for fourth in NCAA history with 152 career total touchdowns. A worthy Heisman trophy contender, Dillon also ranks seventh in total yards with 15,925, and eighth in passing yards at 14,865. He tied for eighth in passing touchdowns with 125 TDs.

By the end of his time with the Sooners, Gabriel stacked up an impressive list of accolades. He was a unanimous All-Big 12 First Team selection and made it to the finals for the Manning Award and Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. The young QB from Hawaii also was a semifinalist for both the Maxwell Award and the Davey O’Brien Award. Dillon was named Davey O’Brien National Quarterback of the Week twice, Maxwell Award Player of the Week once, and Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week. And if that wasn’t enough, the Oklahoma QB snagged Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week honors three times throughout the 2023 season.

Dillon Gabriel’s Personal Life and Background

For Dillon Gabriel, football runs in his veins. Dillon’s father, Garrett Gabriel, used to be a quarterback at the University of Hawaii. Senior Gabriel led the Rainbow Warriors to countless victories and chalked up impressive records within the program. 

After spending his days on the field, Dillon Gabriel was hitting the books too. He graduated from Oklahoma with a degree in multidisciplinary studies, showing his dedication to his academics as he is to the game.

Dillon Gabriel’s NIL Success

Dillon’s impressive football skills caught a lot of eyes, from fans, critics, and sponsors. The star QB has an impressive NIL valuation of approximately $1.2 million as per On3 NIL Valuation. In August 2024, he inked a lucrative NIL deal with Beats by Dr. Dre for their “Beats Elite” campaign. Apart from that, Gabriel will also feature in other marketing campaigns of Beats, and will promote various products by the audio software company. 

Ranking at No. 13 on the On3 NIL list, Gabriel has an impressive NIL portfolio to flex. He previously partnered with multiple global and regional brands like EA Sports, The GLD Shop, Ajinomoto Foods Europe, Crimson and Cream, Booster Athletes, and EvoShield. 

But the quarterback from Hawaii does not only have a gold jewelry deal under his name but also has a golden heart. Dillon Gabriel has regularly been found participating in charitable activities, helping out his people and his community to whom he is grateful. In fact, the quarterback donated his early NIL earnings for shoes and equipment to the boys of the Mililani High School basketball program. Gabriel also has his very own brand,  "DG the Brand," where the DG stands for 'Dedicated to Greatness.