America’s favorite NFL debate among fans and pundits alike is the annual quarterback rankings. We argue about our team’s quarterback like we’re defending our own child.
And no position in sports sits under a brighter spotlight than quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.
I present to you, Rayne Dakota Prescott.
Depending on who you ask (and when), he’s either a top-10 player at his position—gritty, cerebral, a tough leader—or a middle-of-the-road starter who needs lots of help and folds in the biggest moments. The narratives are tired, but very loud, and the truth always gets lost in the noise.
Here’s an honest look at where Dak Prescott ranks among NFL quarterbacks today. No headlines, no hype, and no hot takes. Just football.
Understanding Dak Prescott’s Place Among NFL Quarterbacks
What Dak Prescott Is—And Isn’t
Prescott was recently ranked as the 17th best quarterback in the NFL by Pro Football Focus (PFF), which raised a few eyebrows (not just from Cowboys fans).
PFF is a sports analytics company that analyzes players using a film-based grading system with advanced metrics and opinion-based evaluations. Their work is highly respected and utilized in NFL circles, but it’s not without criticism.
Prescott is coming off a down year. He missed the second half of the season with a hamstring injury and underperformed when he was on the field. But he also had no run game to speak of, one of the worst defenses in football, and no reliable wide receivers outside of CeeDee Lamb. To rank him behind players like Jared Goff, Geno Smith, Baker Mayfield, Kyler Murray, and Trevor Lawrence? That’s reactionary at best. And downright provocative if that’s what you’re going for.
So, who is he really?
He’s a quarterback who is elite at the line of scrimmage. He processes the field well, gets the ball out on time, and thrives in a structured offense. How is that any different from Jared Goff, who ranked ninth, and got bounced in the Divisional Round despite his team finishing atop the NFC at 15-2? He’s cerebral, poised, and has full command of the huddle. When protected, he distributes the ball with precision and confidence. He’s also a tone-setter who’s tough, accountable, and respected throughout the locker room.
What he isn’t: an off-script playmaker like Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen. He’s not going to routinely turn broken plays into SportsCenter highlights. Since his leg injury in 2020, his mobility and athleticism have declined, and with it, some of the improvisational juice he once had. He can get hot, but also cold. When things break down around him, his second-reaction ability is not on par with the league’s most dynamic passers.
But at his best, Prescott is a quarterback you can win with. He’s proven that since his rookie year in 2016. The idea that he’s closer to the middle of the pack than the top tier says more about how polarizing QB evaluation is than it does about who he actually is.
The Numbers Say Dak Prescott Belongs
When Dak is healthy, he produces. No matter how you slice it. That’s not a take. That’s what the numbers say.
Start with 2023, his last healthy season. Prescott led the league in passing touchdowns (36), had the highest completion percentage under duress (65.8%), and finished second in QBR (70.5), True Passer Rating (106.2), and EPA (213.3). He did all this while playing behind a protection rate that ranked just 20th in the league. And oh, by the way, he finished second in MVP voting.
That wasn’t an anomaly.
In 2021, he threw for 4,449 yards and 37 touchdowns (both top-ten in the league), led the league in red zone accuracy rating (7.5), while finishing top-five in Accuracy Rating (7.9), True Completion Percentage (74%), and True Passer Rating (99.9). He did this a year removed from a compound fracture and dislocation of his right ankle.
In 2019, he was even better. He threw for almost 5,000 yards and 30 touchdowns, and finished in the top five of almost every efficiency metric that matters. That year’s team added Amari Cooper midseason and gave Dak little else to lean on. Dallas also led the league in drops that year, with 2.62/game.
That’s three different seasons, with two different head coaches and offensive coordinators, and very different supporting casts. And the results have been the same. Prescott consistently ranks among the NFL’s most productive and efficient quarterbacks.
Yes, availability matters. Prescott suffered injuries in 2024, 2022, and 2020, season-ending injuries in two of them. But when he is upright and operating with even a semi-competent supporting cast, the numbers are clear: he’s one of the most effective quarterbacks in football.
If you value production and efficiency, there’s no good-faith argument that puts Dak outside of the top 8-12 quarterbacks in the league.
The Dak Prescott Narrative Is Louder Than The Truth
Every offseason, we have the same questions about Dak: Is he elite? Will he every get over the hump? Can he lead a team to a Super Bowl? Why do we do this? Because he plays for the Dallas Cowboys.
No position carries more glamour or more scrutiny. Prescott could throw for 5,000 yards and 45 touchdowns, but if the team doesn’t make it past the Divisional Round, the voices will be there to ask whether he’s good enough. Because when you wear the star and your helmet, good isn’t good enough. You have to win the whole thing.
And he hasn’t.
Dak has just two playoff wins on his resume, and failed to get his team over the hump in back-to-back years against a loaded San Francisco 49ers team. He also suffered a brutal home loss to a young Green Bay Packers team post-Aaron Rodgers, where the defense completely fell apart. But alas, Dak couldn’t elevate the team when it mattered most, and that’s been the narrative for most of his career.
Critics seize on those failures, and that’s just the reality of playing the quarterback position. Especially for the Dallas Cowboys. However, Prescott has played through injuries, coordinator turnover, and flawed rosters. He’s carried more weight than most and handled it with class, toughness, and results.
No, he’s not Patrick Mahomes. Neither is anyone else in the league. But he’s not QB17 either.
Dak lives in the quarterback tier just beneath the elites—somewhere in the 8-12 range. He’s a player you can win with and build around. A player who deserves a conversation grounded in football, not frustration, fatigue, or fandom. And yes, a player who can quarterback your team to a Super Bowl.
