Jason Garrett’s tenure as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys came with its fair share of highs and lows.
One of the more pivotal moments of his time with the franchise was the selection of quarterback Dak Prescott in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft. However, Garrett recently admitted that Prescott wasn’t his top choice at the time.
Why Jason Garrett almost passed on Dak Prescott
Speaking on The Dan Patrick Show, Garrett revealed that he originally preferred Michigan State quarterback Connor Cook over Prescott, citing Cook’s experience in a traditional drop-back system.
Prescott, on the other hand, played primarily in a shotgun offense at Mississippi State, which raised concerns about his transition to the NFL.
“The Connor Cook decision was more about he played in a drop-back system in Michigan State, he was under center,”Garrett explained.
“We felt like Dak Prescott was one of the five guys in the draft that could be a starting quarterback for us in the league, but he was a guy, and I’ll be honest with you, I thought it was going to take him time because he played in the gun.”
Cook was ultimately drafted ahead of Prescott but never developed into a starting-caliber quarterback.
Meanwhile, Prescott began his career as a backup but was thrust into the starting role when Tony Romo suffered an injury.
He went on to lead the Cowboys to 13 wins in his rookie season, earning Offensive Rookie of the Year honors.
Garrett also recalled questioning Prescott about his DUI arrest just days before the draft.
While evaluating him on the whiteboard, Garrett deliberately pressured the young quarterback to see how he would respond.
“‘Give me the story about this DUI,'”Garrett said he asked during the pre-draft process.
“He tells me the story, it was fantastic-so accountable and specific details. ‘I had a couple margaritas after the workout, I was going 38 in a 30, I got pulled over.’ It was clean, direct, and accountable.”
Despite his initial concerns, Prescott has remained the Cowboys’ starting quarterback since 2016, earning three Pro Bowl selections along the way.
However, with Dallas failing to advance beyond the Divisional Round in the playoffs under Prescott, questions about his future with the team have surfaced once again.
The Cowboys extended him with a $240 million deal last offseason, but given the league’s recent trend of teams moving on from high-priced quarterbacks, Prescott’s long-term security in Dallas remains uncertain.
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