Dak Prescott NFL Draft 2016: Scouting Report, Grade for Cowboys Rookie

POSITIVES

A two-time All-American and two-time All-SEC quarterback, Dak Prescott left Mississippi State with the third-most total yards in SEC history (11,985) and fourth-most touchdowns responsible for (114). In 33 career starts (49 games), Prescott led the Bulldogs to 23 wins and 10 losses. He will turn 23 before his rookie season.

In Prescott's five years with the Bulldogs (one as a redshirt), he showed tremendous growth and potential as a quarterback. His first two seasons on the field were spent primarily as a run-pass threat before he developed NFL-level passing traits before his junior season in 2014. One of the most impressive attributes on Prescott's film is that he improved every year as a passer—and he is still young enough to keep improving with good coaching.

On the hoof, Prescott is impressive with a sturdy, athletic frame. NFL teams concerned about knee and ankle thickness will like his running back-esque legs and trunk. And when it comes to hand size, Prescott is off-the-charts good. His frame matches his playing style, as Prescott is an accomplished runner both on designed plays and when the pocket breaks down. That's something he worked to improve over the last two seasons, and it shows in his poise and timing in the pocket.

Prescott cut his interceptions down from 11 in 2014 to five in 2015 while increasing his attempts from 396 to 477. He also moved his completion percentage up to 66.2 from 61.6. Those numbers are obvious on film, as his field vision clearly improved and his passing mechanics became more consistent, which in turn made his accuracy much better on timing routes.

Mechanically, Prescott's motion is clean with a small wasted motion as he brings the ball up to throw. That windup isn't hurting his accuracy or release speed, though, and won't have to be tweaked. His footwork can be smooth and quick, and when there isn't trash around his feet in the pocket, he'll step up to drive the ball down the field.

In talking to coaches and NFL scouts, they've all raved about Prescott's leadership qualities and football intelligence. The belief is he'll take to NFL-level coaching faster than expected, and one person even compared him to Russell Wilson.

NEGATIVES

Prescott is a project. His footwork needs to be adjusted and then drilled over and over again to erase years of bad technique. A good quarterback coach will focus on not just taking drops from center but also on finding a consistent launch point on every three-, five- and seven-step drop so those steps are always at the same depth and same speed.

Right now—and some of this is due to how he was used at Mississippi State—Prescott stares down pressure in the pocket. This leads to a hesitation in his reads down the field, and in the NFL, that's a sack. After four years of running the ball and playing behind suspect offensive lines, the last thing Prescott needs is to absorb more free hits in the NFL. He has to learn to use his feet to evade the rush while staying true in the pocket and keeping his eyes downfield to scan for targets.

Can Prescott learn to throw on time and to space instead of to receivers? In the Bulldogs offense, he dominated with dink-and-dunk routes while struggling on downfield routes. He has the arm to push the ball deep but wasn't accurate enough to be a serious threat there consistently. NFL coaches must be patient while fixing his mechanics, which will in turn improve his accuracy. One of the great traits of Andrew Luck and Jameis Winston when they were prospects was their ability to anticipate routes and coverages, and Prescott doesn't show that yet.

After his pro day, Prescott was arrested and charged with DUI in Starkville, Mississippi.

COMBINE RESULTS

Height: 6'2"

Weight: 226 lbs.

40 Time: 4.79s

Hand Size: 10⅞"

3-Cone: 7.11s

PRO COMPARISON: Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs
FINAL GRADE: 6.10/9.00 (Round 3—Future Starter)