Before he became the highest-paid player in NFL history – twice — and 1 of the faces of the league over the last decade, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott was an afterthought.
He was an afterthought when the Cowboys drafted him in the 4th round (No. 135 overall) of the 2016 NFL draft, at a time when Tony Romo was firmly entrenched as the starter.
Now, 1 decade later, Pro Football Focus NFL reporter Bradley Locker singled Prescott out as the NFL’s best non-1st-round pick since 2016 as Prescott heads into his 11th NFL season.
“Prescott is somewhat of a polarizing figure among NFL fans, but the simple reality is that he’s become a stabilizing franchise quarterback despite being a fourth-round selection,” Locker wrote. “Across his 10 career seasons, Prescott has netted six finishes with at least an 80.0-plus overall PFF grade. On top of that, the Mississippi State product ranks sixth in PFF WAR since his debut, and his 236 big-time throws are the seventh-most. Sure, the lack of playoff success is a detractor. But the Cowboys’ ability to turn Prescott into the team’s starter for over a decade is a success story in and of itself. Factor in how well he’s played, and it renders him one of the best late-round picks in recent memory.”
It’s that lack of playoff success that has made Prescott such a polarizing figure in NFL circles over the last decade, as well.
Dak Prescott’s Unexpected Road to NFL Riches
Since 2007, the Cowboys have started the season with either Tony Romo and Dak Prescott at quarterback — that’s an incredible 19 seasons without much turmoil at the position, injuries notwithstanding.
At the same time, in just the NFC East, it’s the least amount of opening day starters at quarterback, followed by the New York Giants (3), Philadelphia Eagles (7), and the quarterback graveyard otherwise known as the Washington Commanders (10).
That also means the Cowboys have had 2 full decades to use their 1st-round picks on players other than quarterbacks and failed to take advantage of that distinct advantage.
None of those failures has stopped Prescott from getting the bag, unlike any player in NFL history. He became the NFL’s 1st $40 million-per-year player in 2020 with a 4-year, $160 million contract, then became the 1st $60 million-per-year player in league history in 2024 with a 4-year, $240 million contract.
Not bad for someone who has never even played in the NFC Championship Game.
Looking Back at Wild and Wacky 2016 NFL Draft
Prescott’s draft year became known as the “Gas Mask Draft” after possible No. 1 overall pick and current Washington Commanders Laremy Tunsil’s stepfather leaked a video of him appearing to smoke marijuana out of a gas mask right as the draft started, and Tunsil free-falled to the Miami Dolphins at No. 13 overall.
As far as quarterbacks, Prescott was 1 of 15 quarterbacks taken that year — he was No. 8 out of those — and 1 of just 3 who remain a starting quarterback, along with No. 1 overall pick Jared Goff (Detroit Lions) and No. 91 overall pick Jacoby Brissett (Arizona Cardinals).
In terms of postseason success, Goff has left the other quarterbacks in his draft class in the dust. He led the Los Angeles Rams to a Super Bowl following the 2019 season and played in the NFC Championship Game with the Lions following the 2023 season.
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