When practices for the Reese’s Senior Bowl start on Tuesday, National quarterback Dillon Gabriel might be wearing the most unusual helmet at Hancock Whitney Stadium. Reflecting his journey to Mobile through Orlando, Florida; Norman, Oklahoma; and Eugene, Oregon, Gabriel has a helmet bearing emblems of UCF, Oklahoma and Oregon.

“I think the common theme is: Continue to respond the right way,” Gabriel said on Monday. “There’s ups and downs and ebbs and flows within a season, but also within a journey. And this six-year journey, I think I’ve continued to learn how to respond and get better each year.

“I think if you look at my work in 2019 when I was a freshman to now, it’s completely different, night and day, and I think that’s physically, mentally, the whole thing, even as a leader, so, like I said, I can’t speak enough to experience and putting yourself in those different atmospheres whether it’s down South in Florida or in Oklahoma in the Midwest or even on the West Coast with Oregon. Totally different geographic locations and people you come into contact with, so you learn how to adapt, you learn how to be around those kind of guys, and it’s ultimately made me a better player and person.”

With that background, walking into something new isn’t new for Gabriel.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Gabriel said. “As a competitor, anytime you’re able to throw the pads on and do this kind of thing and be a part of something special you want to, so it was very easy on my end to say yes (to the Senior Bowl invitation). I’m excited for what it all entails. I’m excited for the unknown. I think the more you can get comfortable with that, then the rest will take care of itself. I’ve been in unknown, so it’s something not new to me.”

Gabriel played in 26 games at UCF, 24 at Oklahoma and 14 at Oregon. Across six college seasons, he threw for 18,722 yards and 155 touchdowns and ran for 1,209 yards and 33 TDs. In NCAA FBS history, he is tied for No. 1 in passing touchdowns and ranks No. 2 in passing yards.

Gabriel took the reins of the Oregon offense from Bo Nix, the former Pinson Valley High School and Auburn quarterback who finished his college career with two seasons with the Ducks. Nix went from Oregon to starting every game as a rookie for the Denver Broncos after being picked 12th in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“From afar, you admire what Bo has done in his collegiate career, and that naturally attracts you to Oregon,” Gabriel said. “And seeing how a quarterback that can play at a high level looked in that offense and knowing that if you’re up to par and clicking on all cylinders, you can look something like that, so that’s part of what attracted me to Oregon by knowing it definitely translates.”

Gabriel followed the Nix blueprint in piling up experience as a college starter and enters the NFL Draft as a 24-year-old.

“It’s definitely helped me, and it’s been beneficial,” Gabriel said. “I’ve just looked at it as that. I think there’s a bunch of positives to playing a bunch of football, especially at the quarterback position, where live reps are different than practice reps, so you want to get as many live reps as you can.”

But unlike Nix, who measured 6-foot-1.7 at last year’s Senior Bowl weigh-in, Gabriel measured 5-10.4 at this year’s.

“I think it’s just all about the right fit,” Gabriel said to concerns about his height, “and aligning with a team that values playing at a surgical level with accuracy and anticipation, and that’s kind of how they play. Everyone has their playing styles and how they do things, but more importantly the right fit for me and that team.”

The 76th Reese’s Senior Bowl kicks off at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile. NFL Network will televise the game.

But there’s more to the Senior Bowl than the game. The activity schedule includes:

Tuesday, Jan. 28

Senior Bowl practices (open to public):

National team, Hancock Whitney Stadium, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

American team, Hancock Whitney Stadium, noon-2 p.m.

Wednesday, Jan. 29

Senior Bowl practices (open to public):

National team, Hancock Whitney Stadium, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

American team, Hancock Whitney Stadium, noon-2 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 30

Senior Bowl practices (open to public):

National team, Hancock Whitney Stadium, 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

American team, Hancock Whitney Stadium, noon-2 p.m.

USA Health Doc Rock, Soul Kitchen, 6:30 p.m.

Friday, Jan. 31

Saints Cheer Krewe clinic, Jaguar Training Center, noon-3 p.m. (Open to high school-aged cheerleaders and dancers. Cost is $75.)

Friday Night Street Party (downtown Mobile) with player parade at 6 p.m. and free concert featuring Eli Young Band and Sammy Kershaw at 7 p.m. in Cathedral Square

Saturday, Feb. 1

Senior Bowl Fan Fest (free), south lawn of Hancock Whitney Stadium, 10:30 a.m.

Legacy Tailgate HBCU Experience (free), south end of Jaguar Training Center, 10:30 a.m.

Path to the Draft players walk, outside Hancock Whitney Stadium, 11 a.m.

Reese’s Senior Bowl, 1:30 p.m. at Hancock Whitney Stadium, featuring performances by Jaguar Marching Band and Saints Cheer Krewe

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.