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Ahead of his 11th NFL season, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott may finally be receiving the recognition he deserves.
Following arguably the best statistical season of his career in 2025, Prescott appears to have gained league-wide respect, evidenced by his sixth-place ranking on ESPN’s list of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, as voted on by executives, coaches and scouts.
But Jeremy Fowler’s annual positional ranking isn’t the only ESPN setting where Prescott is receiving praise.
The former second-team All-Pro has endured his share of criticism on ESPN’s “First Take” over the years — typically from renowned Cowboys antagonist Stephen A. Smith.
READ MORE: How George Pickens Can Help Cowboys Sign Von Miller
With Smith away on summer vacation, however, a far more favorable assessment of Prescott made its way onto the daytime debate show.
Kevin Clark took full advantage of the opportunity.
The ESPN analyst not only praised Prescott’s performance during the 2025 season ... but also labeled the Cowboys quarterback the most underappreciated player in football.
“I think he’s unbelievable,” Clark said. “I had Jason Garrett on my show yesterday, and he said that Dak Prescott might be one of the most underappreciated players in football. I’ll go further. I think he’s the most underappreciated because he’s become a punchline.”
According to Clark, however, Prescott’s reputation has been shaped by circumstances completely outside of his own control.
“[Prescott's] become a punchline because of the sins of Jerry Jones’ roster building and Cowboys fans who always overhype their team,” Clark said.
But Clark wasn’t alone in defending Prescott.
Former Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans wide receiver and fellow analyst Harry Douglas went even further, predicting the three-time Pro Bowler will enter the MVP conversation while leading Dallas into legitimate Super Bowl contention.
"I am not one of these analysts that come on TV every single year, 'Oh, the Dallas Cowboys are Super Bowl contenders,'" Douglas said. "But ladies and gentlemen, listen to me closely. I have the Dallas Cowboys for 2026 being Super Bowl contenders."
READ MORE:'Football Is Back!' Jerry Jones Gets AT&T Stadium Ready for Cowboys Games Again
While predicting the Cowboys to break their near 31-year drought usually is met with laughter, there is a logical line of thinking that could lead one to the conclusions Clark and Douglas arrived at.
In 2025, Dallas finished second in total offense (391.9 YPG), second in passing offense (266.3 YPG, 4,735 total yards), ninth in rushing offense (125.6 YPG) and seventh in scoring offense (471 total points, 27.7 points per game).
Prescott’s 10th season marked the fifth time he led a top-five offense — three of which finished inside the top two.
The Cowboys' generationally bad defense ... which ranked as the fourth-worst defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) in NFL history ... was what held the team back last season.
If rookie defensive coordinator Christian Parker, first-round pick Caleb Downs and Dallas’ revamped defense can simply finish near the middle of the pack in 2026, Prescott’s explosive offense could finally end the Cowboys’ NFC title game drought.
That would leave Dallas one win away from its first Super Bowl appearance since the 1995 season — but after three decades of disappointment, reaching the conference championship would be enough of a breakthrough on its own.
Continue reading...
Following arguably the best statistical season of his career in 2025, Prescott appears to have gained league-wide respect, evidenced by his sixth-place ranking on ESPN’s list of the NFL’s top quarterbacks, as voted on by executives, coaches and scouts.
But Jeremy Fowler’s annual positional ranking isn’t the only ESPN setting where Prescott is receiving praise.
The former second-team All-Pro has endured his share of criticism on ESPN’s “First Take” over the years — typically from renowned Cowboys antagonist Stephen A. Smith.
READ MORE: How George Pickens Can Help Cowboys Sign Von Miller
With Smith away on summer vacation, however, a far more favorable assessment of Prescott made its way onto the daytime debate show.
Kevin Clark took full advantage of the opportunity.
The ESPN analyst not only praised Prescott’s performance during the 2025 season ... but also labeled the Cowboys quarterback the most underappreciated player in football.
“I think he’s unbelievable,” Clark said. “I had Jason Garrett on my show yesterday, and he said that Dak Prescott might be one of the most underappreciated players in football. I’ll go further. I think he’s the most underappreciated because he’s become a punchline.”
According to Clark, however, Prescott’s reputation has been shaped by circumstances completely outside of his own control.
“[Prescott's] become a punchline because of the sins of Jerry Jones’ roster building and Cowboys fans who always overhype their team,” Clark said.
But Clark wasn’t alone in defending Prescott.
Former Atlanta Falcons and Tennessee Titans wide receiver and fellow analyst Harry Douglas went even further, predicting the three-time Pro Bowler will enter the MVP conversation while leading Dallas into legitimate Super Bowl contention.
"I am not one of these analysts that come on TV every single year, 'Oh, the Dallas Cowboys are Super Bowl contenders,'" Douglas said. "But ladies and gentlemen, listen to me closely. I have the Dallas Cowboys for 2026 being Super Bowl contenders."
READ MORE:'Football Is Back!' Jerry Jones Gets AT&T Stadium Ready for Cowboys Games Again
While predicting the Cowboys to break their near 31-year drought usually is met with laughter, there is a logical line of thinking that could lead one to the conclusions Clark and Douglas arrived at.
In 2025, Dallas finished second in total offense (391.9 YPG), second in passing offense (266.3 YPG, 4,735 total yards), ninth in rushing offense (125.6 YPG) and seventh in scoring offense (471 total points, 27.7 points per game).
Prescott’s 10th season marked the fifth time he led a top-five offense — three of which finished inside the top two.
The Cowboys' generationally bad defense ... which ranked as the fourth-worst defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA) in NFL history ... was what held the team back last season.
If rookie defensive coordinator Christian Parker, first-round pick Caleb Downs and Dallas’ revamped defense can simply finish near the middle of the pack in 2026, Prescott’s explosive offense could finally end the Cowboys’ NFC title game drought.
That would leave Dallas one win away from its first Super Bowl appearance since the 1995 season — but after three decades of disappointment, reaching the conference championship would be enough of a breakthrough on its own.
Continue reading...
