Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, who was a fourth-round draft pick, is having a strong second season in the NFL.
Prescott, who played at Mississippi State, has guided the Cowboys to a 5-3 record under some difficult circumstances.
Prescott, who won the Associated Press' rookie offensive player of the year award last season, is highly ranked among starting quarterbacks, according to analytics website Football Outsiders.
They evaluate quarterbacks according to a defense-adjusted yards-above-replacement (DYAR) measure, and Prescott’s 542 rating ranks sixth in the league. Only New England’s Tom Brady (921), Kansas City’s Alex Smith (758), New Orleans’ Drew Brees (599), Philadelphia’s Carson Wentz (599) and Los Angles Rams’ Jared Goff (569) are rated higher. (Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is rated 10th at 502.)
They also rank the quarterbacks according to the defense-adjusted value over average (DVOA), and Prescott’s 19.2 rating ranks seventh.
Prescott has completed 163 of 259 passes (62.9 percent) for 1,818 yards, 16 touchdowns and only four interceptions.
He has a passer rating of 97.9 and has impressed the Falcons.
“I would say real mindfulness for the ball (stands out),” Falcons coach Dan Quinn said. “He’s been careful with it, (has taken) care of it, and doesn’t put the ball into a bad spot where it could create some takeaways.”
Prescott also is a running threat. He’s rushed 26 times for 195 yards and four touchdowns.
“He’s able to get outside the pocket and extend plays, both with his feet and his legs,” Quinn said.
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