Multiple media members come to Dak Prescott's defense
Dak Prescott has established himself as a bonafide franchise quarterback. Where he ranks amongst his peers has been up for debate since his stellar rookie campaign in 2016 with the Dallas Cowboys. Prescott has flashed greatness, but he also struggled in different spots, too. His overall evaluation differs around the league. Still, it is difficult […]
Dak Prescott has established himself as a bonafide franchise quarterback. Where he ranks amongst his peers has been up for debate since his stellar rookie campaign in 2016 with the Dallas Cowboys.
Prescott has flashed greatness, but he also struggled in different spots, too. His overall evaluation differs around the league. Still, it is difficult to dispute that the Cowboys' signal caller is a legitimate top-10 passer in the NFL.
NFL decision makers believe that Prescott is a top-10 quarterback. In a ranking complied by ESPN, Prescott landed at No. 7 in the league entering the 2021 season. Now, he finds himself in a different position on the list.
PRESCOTT CONSIDERED TOP-10 QB
Dak Prescott lands at No. 10 on a ranking of quarterbacks in the NFL. The list was made by a group of 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players. Therefore, there is a ton of opinion and evaluation that goes into it.
Prescott ranks higher than the likes of one-time MVP Lamar Jackson, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, and Cardinals star Kyler Murray. Voters cited "consistency" as a big reason why Prescott landed in front of those names.
One executive in the NFC states that the Cowboys' passer is a "good but not great QB." Elevating his game in the playoffs, according to the executive, would help Prescott take that next step.
"A good but not great QB; he has to play well in the playoffs," an NFC exec said. "Has to prove [he] can take them to the next level. He's not in the top echelon."
Furthermore, an offensive coach in the league is a fan of Prescott's poise in the pocket. That has been one of his biggest strengths since entering the league as a fourth-round draft selection.
"He has good poise in [the pocket], sturdy," an NFL offensive coach said. "Always been deadly when they space the field in empty. Sometimes needs an extra hitch to confirm things, but he's typically a good decision-maker in their dropback game."
MEDIA SOUNDS OFF ON RANKING
Dak Prescott has a compelling case to be ranked higher on the list. Matt Stafford, Justin Herbert, Russell Wilson, and Deshaun Watson were the passers ranked directly ahead of Prescott. Prescott's highest vote was No. 7.
One interesting take from the national media is that Dak Prescott is being undervalued in these rankings. The Athletic's Ben Baldwin believes that the rankings knock some quarterbacks that played through injuries in 2021.
Prescott, of course, was off to a hot start last season. The calf injury that he suffered heading into the bye week derailed much of the success that No. 4 enjoyed prior to the final play of the overtime win against the Patriots.
Additionally, Steven Ruiz of The Ringer, tweeted that "underrating" Prescott is back.
Prescott has developed into one of the best passers in football over the past few seasons. His accuracy is typically on point, and he has become one of the best at throwing the deep ball, which opens up other areas of the offense.
From the ESPN article:
"Prescott had the fourth-most passing touchdowns (37) in 2021. He ranked fourth in the NFL in completion percentage (68.8%) and QBR from inside the pocket (65.5), numbers that showcase his ability to work through progressions. And he is 53-32 as a starter since entering the league."
The national media believes that Dak Prescott is underrated by the NFL. There is certainly evidence that backs that argument up.
Featured image via Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
