'Lamar Is a Better All-Around Football Player; Dak Is the Better QB,' Says NFL Exec
July 12, 2021
Lamar Jackson is just two years removed from an MVP season with the Baltimore Ravens, but more NFL personnel would take Dallas Cowboys star Dak Prescott over him as their quarterback.
A survey of 50 league executives, coaches, scouts and players rated Prescott as the No. 7 quarterback in the NFL, just ahead of Jackson at No. 8, per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. The vote between them was apparently so close they needed extra votes to separate the two, but Prescott earned the edge.
"Lamar is a better all-around football player; Dak is the better QB," one AFC exec said.
Prescott played just five games last season before an ankle injury ended his year, but he averaged 371.2 passing yards per game when on the field with nine touchdowns and four interceptions.
That limited play was enough for Prescott to jump from ninth last year to seventh in the poll.
Jackson, meanwhile, dropped two spots from the No. 6 ranking he received after winning MVP while being named first-team All-Pro. He led the NFL with 36 passing touchdowns in 2019 with only six interceptions to go with his incredible rushing numbers (1,206 yards, seven touchdowns).
The Ravens star continued to produce on the ground last season with 1,005 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, although his passing production dropped to only 2,757 passing yards, 26 touchdowns and nine picks.
Baltimore finished dead last in the NFL in passing yards in 2020.
It's enough for some evaluators to question whether Jackson can have the same long-term success as other top quarterbacks.
"People are figuring him out a little bit," said a veteran NFL offensive player. "Those guys on the list, in the two-minute drill, they can go do it. Not sure he's there yet. The running is great, but when you have to play from behind and throw, that can be very tough."
The Ravens haven't had too many issues playing from behind and are 30-7 in games started by Jackson over the past three years, although they are still looking to get past the divisional round of the playoffs.
Baltimore will hope the additions of receivers Rashod Bateman and Sammy Watkins this offseason will help Jackson and the passing attack in 2021 and beyond.