Everybody loves to make lists. The four-letter major media networks love to use lists to generate views and clicks from fans angry at where their favorite player landed.
The latest list released by ESPN is doing just that on Twitter/X today. An article by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler features commentary and analysis from NFL coaches, executives, and scouts ranking the top ten players at their respective positions.
This is a Dallas Cowboys website so I’ll spoil the list right now and tell you that Dak Prescott came in as the 10th-best quarterback in the NFL. It isn’t very respectful if you ask me my opinion.
I can’t name nine quarterbacks better than Rayne Dakota Prescott on this planet. I’m sorry, I just can’t. These coaches, executives, and scouts must have it all wrong, right?
Let’s get into the analysis and see if their eyes match what our eyes have seen from Prescott during the 2023 season.
10. Dak Prescott
In this ESPN exercise, Prescott’s lowest vote was out of the top ten completely while his highest vote was seventh on the list.
Let’s take a look at some of the analysis and see if it checks out.
One NFC executive said, “He always does well enough to be in the top ten but never gets over the hump.
“He makes all the throws. He’s playing the position at a high level. But something’s missing. There are a lot of factors in that, from the running game, playcalling, defense, and Dallas hasn’t won in a long while.
“But certain guys are going to elevate their team at the end of the game, and Dak doesn’t seem to do that.”
Whoever this NFC executive is, I give him credit and respect for his honesty and unbiased analysis. Is he wrong? Prescott really hasn’t gotten over the hump. Despite being so close to success, it seems to elude him.
But the executive is right on one other point. There are a lot of factors to consider when ranking quarterbacks if playoff success is going to be part of the judging criteria.
There is a fine line between a quarterback being successful because of his own prowess and the other side of the coin where a good team around him can help to elevate that success.
I’m not sure where Prescott actually falls on that spectrum, but I can tell you that 10 is too low based on what he has shown us during the regular season. Dak finished 2023 as the first Cowboys quarterback to lead the league in touchdown passes (36) since Roger Staubach in 1973.
He stifled the criticism by reducing his interception total from 15 in 2022 back down to just nine in 2023 to go along with a nearly 70% completion percentage.
I will shout it until the cows come home. He was robbed of MVP by the voters who chose Lamar Jackson’s 800+ rushing yards as enough of a factor to take the award.
The Rest of the Field
9. Jared Goff, Detroit Lions
8. Aaron Rodgers, New York Jets
7. C.J. Stroud, Houston Texans
6. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
5. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
4. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
3. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
1. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
For a panel that praised Prescott for his regular-season prowess while also criticizing his lack of playoff success, some of these names ahead of him don’t make sense.
Jared Goff has played in a Super Bowl with the Rams and led the Lions to the NFC Championship Game just last season. On both occasions, Goff has had an excellent supporting cast with a strong rushing attack.
C.J. Stroud won his first playoff matchup as a rookie last season, demolishing a 5th-seed Cleveland Browns team by the score of 45-14, but let’s see if there is a sophomore slump before we crown him.
Don’t even get me started on Justin Herbert and the obsession the media seems to have with him. All it says is that if you have talented traits and look the part (tall, strong arm), you will get the royal treatment.
Herbert has played in one playoff game in his career, surrendering a 27-point second-half lead to lose in heartbreaking fashion.
The rest of the list looks pretty good to me. One thing remains true, however. Dak Prescott ranked at 10 is way too low.
