Dak Prescott is one of the NFL quarterbacks that causes the most controversy among fans and media. Not because he pulls off any sort of antics, mind you. He just happens to play the most analyzed position for the Dallas Cowboys, the most popular and valuable team in the entire league. 

And while he's proven he can do the job at a very high level (NFL coaches, execs, and scouts recently ranked him as the eighth-best quarterback in the pros), detractors will often point toward the lack of a deep playoff run.

But there's one thing everyone seems to agree with, including former legendary coaches like Jimmy Johnson and Hall of Fame quarterbacks like Troy Aikman: Dak Prescott is exactly what you want in a leader.

"They've got a great leader that is an outstanding quarterback that can win you a championship," said Johnson back in 2021 when Prescott was seeking a long-term contract.

That same sentiment has been shared oftentimes by countless others. He's a natural leader of men and one that's been shaped by difficult moments in life and big-time experience on the football field. Veteran wide receiver Brandin Cooks, who has played with Tom Brady and Drew Brees in the past,  acknowledged that Prescott shares the leadership skills the all-time greats have.

"One thing I see about Dak is just the way he's able to lead," Cooks told reporters on Thursday. "Leading, you just can't fake it, and the way that Dak leads is so authentic. You'll follow that man everywhere."

For Cooks to say it is beyond meaningful. CeeDee Lamb and Michael Gallup have shared similar praise for Prescott in the past but he's the only starting quarterback they've known since they got to the league. Cooks, however, has been around. He for a first-row view of how Brady did it and how Brees handled himself. And he sees in the Cowboys quarterback some of what he saw in them.

While fans and media won't ever get that first-hand insight that a teammate like Brandin Cooks can, we all got a glimpse of Prescott's leadership in his press conference following the Cowboys' second training camp practice.

As he usually does thanks to a knack for PR, Dak was giving the media lengthy and insightful answers to their questions. But once a question about Zack Martin's current holdout was floated to him, Prescott kept it simple with a three-word response.

"Pay the man," he said.

Don't mistake this for a simple show of support for his All-Pro teammate because it's more than that. This is picking a side between the front office and the player and he could've easily gone with a political answer and say that it's up to the team and agents to figure out. But he didn't.

Instead, he publicly voiced a demand for the Cowboys' front office. Although he's doing it for Martin first, it can also be interpreted as Prescott doing what franchise quarterbacks do: Being vocal and telling his team when he wants something done and not adding please at the end.

In other words, he's standing up for his teammate yet also for what he believes is best for the team. And pretty much everyone who's paying attention knows he's got a point. If somebody deserves a pay bump four years into a six-year deal, it's the guy with six All-Pro honors including two in the last couple of years. 

When players and coaches, former and active, talk about what a leader Prescott is, this is exactly what they mean.

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Featured image via Dallas Cowboys' YouTube Channel