Dallas Cowboys Draft 2016: Get Familiar With Dak Prescott, He Could Be Cowboys Next Quarterback

When Dak Prescott was arrested on a DUI charge last weekend, many teams may have dropped him further down their list of draft candidates. Media analysts have weighed in on the subject and seem to be a bit unsure what this all means as Lance Zierlein told NFL.com:

"If there is nothing else (negative in his background), I think every team is going to go off their own personal interviews with him and what their scouts have gathered on his character," Zierlein said. "That should reign supreme over one incident. But it certainly doesn't help."

"For a team that was on the fence about him, this would be an easy way for an owner to knock him off the board. If he's a guy who was just barely alive (as a prospect for a team) and half the building was for him and half was not for taking him, this might be enough to get him scratched," Zierlein said. "That's how he could potentially get hurt. If you like Dak Prescott already, and there's nothing else in his background that's a red flag as it pertains to alcohol, I don't think this is going to hurt him badly. It was very important for him to come out and take responsibility right away."

Well, don't count the Dallas Cowboys as one of those teams with doubt, in fact, they plan to work out the Mississippi State signal caller this coming Monday. Dak Prescott was one of the quarterbacks at the Senior Bowl way back when and actually won the contest's MVP award? Also, of note, Dak met with Scott Linehan pretty extensively in Mobile and was rumored to be a guy they really liked.

Doing a little homework on him myself, here's what you can expect from a prospect like Prescott. Originally, I had Prescott pegged for that pick at 102, but he could likely be taken in the third round if he checks all the proverbial boxes. I'll take you back to a little write-up I had on him a little while back:

Dak is an impressive type of player fitting that true dual-threat quarterback mold. He's everything that Tim Tebow wanted to be with better mobility, anticipation, and accuracy. Prescott owns 38 school records, is a two-time All-American, two-time First-Team All-SEC and was the MVP of the Liberty Bowl and Senior Bowl. He's got a feel for the game and has really shown a lot of development between the ears.

Some scouts have likened him to having the upside of Russell Wilson. He'll need to learn to not predetermine his throws at the next level and still has some development needed in footwork. However, Prescott has shown that he has all the right traits to become a quarterback in the NFL, but it will take some patience to develop him.

It's always going to raise an eyebrow or two when the Tebow card gets played, but again, he's a more polished passer than Tebow was. It's his leadership that gets him those comparisons. Moving on, Prescott also got a second meeting with the Cowboys at the Combine. Wade Wilson sat down with him this time and had some interesting things to say to Prescott:

"Coach Wilson just [talked] about what they expect me to do if I come in there, if it's to be in the backup role behind Tony Romo, how do I plan on approaching it and then just talking ball," Prescott said at the combine about the meeting. "They've been productive meetings. He told me their picks and told me that they're thinking about getting a quarterback with one of those picks. He was saying that if I work hard, things maybe could work out."

Nothing too telling in there, but it's no surprise that the Cowboys are in the market for a quarterback. They currently have just two on the roster and one on the practice squad. However, if they want a decent shot at someone developing, they know they'll have to spend some capital on the position. Taking into consideration the quotes we've seen and heard from all the Cowboys' brass, Tony Romo is the quarterback for the foreseeable future and they intend on contending for a championship while that remains the truth.

This will be the third time in three months Wade Wilson has had face-to-face time with QB Dak Prescott in three different states.

— Brandon George (@DMN_George) March 20, 2016

Prescott is a clear-cut candidate as a mid-round prospect with all the traits you look for in development. It's not a forgone conclusion that he's their man, but they certainly have taken every opportunity to look at him and get all their opinions gathered.

Of course, you just know that this latest incident will certainly be on the menu of discussion, but Dak hasn't taken shelter to hide since. He was pretty open and quick with a response, after the unfortunate lapse in judgment:

"I take complete responsibility for my actions," Prescott said this week in a statement. "I'm very remorseful for my misjudgment. I want to apologize to my true supporters, my family, Mississippi State, the NFL, and the kids who look up to me. I won't ask for forgiveness; however, I'll show the true man I am and exhibit my character through my actions and behavior moving forward."

If Prescott has truly learned from this untimely mistake, his draft stock shouldn't take too much of a hit. He's certainly got all the intangibles and showed improvement with each coming year for the Bulldogs. Though he doesn't have the name recognition of the Jared Goff's, Carson Wentz's, and Paxton Lynch's of the world, he was very impressive in the Senior Bowl and has looked the part ever since. He also had a nice showing at the Combine too, now he'll have to prove once again, that he belongs. It certainly seems like the Cowboys intend on seeing much more of him and he can do a lot for himself with an impressive showing on Monday.

Just a little foreshadowing, Cowboys fans. Don't forget this young man's name as he makes his third visit with these coaches. Could Dak Prescott possibly be the heir apparent to Tony Romo? Stay tuned.