Dak Prescott gets rave reviews from NFL executives in anonymous poll

Dallas Cowboys star quarterback Dak Prescott often finds himself being underrated and undervalued in polls, but NFL executives seem to have a different opinion.

Jul 31, 2024; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) throws next to quarterback Cooper Rush (10) during training camp at the River Ridge Playing Fields in Oxnard, California. / Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is entering the final year of his contract.

Prescott has been willing to bet on himself before, and now he is attempting to do it again for the 2024 NFL season. The star signal-caller was NFL MVP runner-up a year ago, but he still struggles to get the respect he deserves.

Talking heads in the media consistently leave Prescott off of their rankings (looking at you, Dan Orlovsky) and he gets snubbed from player ranking lists, but NFL executives seem to have a different opinion.

MORE: NFL players feel a certain way about Cowboys QB Dak Prescott's ability

Mike Sando of The Athletic conducted an anonymous poll of "seven general managers, eight head coaches, 12 coordinators, 12 executives, eight assistant coaches, and three involved in coaching/analytics" for his 11th annual Quarterback Tiers list.

Those who were polled ranked Prescott as the No. 9 quarterback in the NFL, at Tier 2.

What is a Tier 2 quarterback? "A Tier 2 quarterback can carry his team sometimes but not as consistently. He can handle pure-passing situations in doses and/or possesses other dimensions that are special enough to elevate him above Tier 3. He has a hole or two in his game," the article states.

August 10, 2019; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) and owner Jerry Jones (right) before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium. / Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

"Without him, they would be a very average or marginal team," one NFL exec said.

A defensive coordinator added, "Dak is probably the definition of a 2. There are some holes, he’s not perfect, but he’s about as steady of a 2 as you can be."

Overall, it's a fair assessment of Prescott.

MORE: Dak Prescott putting on a show at Dallas Cowboys training camp

He does have the cloud of no playoff success hanging over his head, but he will have the opportunity to answer any questions in 2024 as he looks to secure a blockbuster deal that would make him the highest-paid player in the NFL.

Last season, Prescott had one of the best seasons of his career. He threw for 4,516 yards, an NFL-leading 36 touchdowns, and nine interceptions. The effort earned Prescott second-team All-Pro honors and a nod to the third Pro Bowl of his career.

He has shown that he is among the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and now it is only a matter of time until he is paid like one.

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