How Did Everyone Not See Dak Prescott?
Drafting NFL players is a known inexact science, with success often relying on several factors including talent, health, and team situation, among others.
With Dak Prescott leading the Dallas Cowboys into their Divisional playoff game versus the San Francisco 49ers, he has established himself among one of the best players at his position over the past few NFL seasons.
But while among the league's best quarterbacks, Dak Prescott was largely overlooked as a potential franchise NFL quarterback coming into the league after a stellar college career at Mississippi State. So how is it that a talented and successful college players can be so vastly overlooked entering into the NFL?
Looking at his career, it seems plain to see in hindsight that we all should have known Prescott would be successful. However at times even NFL scouts trained to spot the next great player can at times over-analyze a person and their past successes, which is what I believe happened with the evaluation of Dak Prescott when came into the NFL in 2016.
Looking back on, here are some of the reasons why everyone should have seen the talent and potential future success of Dallas Cowboys star quarterback Dak Prescott:
Incredibly Successful College Career:
Success vs. The Best: Played in the ultra-competitive Southeastern Conference against the best defenses in nation and best teams in college football
Leadership Traits: Dak displayed a unique ability to elevate the people around him as the quarterback and leader of a Mississippi State team. A program with no recent success to speak of, Dak was able to lead the Bulldogs against more talented teams to ascend to the top of college football for the programs first #1 ranking in program history and an Orange Bowl birth in 2014.
Extremely Productive College Career: Prescott finished his career as one of the most productive players in SEC history and held 38 school records.
Size and Talent:
Great NFL Size: Big body for an NFL quarterback, listed at 6'3, 240 pounds
Incredible Athleticism at QB: Especially athletic for his position, and incredible productive carrying the ball over 10 times per game for his college career and accounting for 41 touchdowns on the ground in his four years at MSU.
The odds of success for most NFL quarterback draft picks is at best 50%, even if multiple favorable factors align. But looking back on everything Dakota Raine Prescott had accomplished and had going for him, he certainly warranted a higher draft status and should have been given more credit for and his ability to elevate his teammates and recognized how much he attributed to the success of his college team.
But, that’s what makes for a great story! A player who never had anything given to him, had to earn his playing time and continues to raise his status among the NFL's best. And on Sunday, he has another chance to continue that ascent. At this point, I wouldn't count him out.
