Dallas Cowboys' Dak Prescott Ranked Behind Patrick Mahomes And Joe Burrow On Top 100 NFL Players, NFL Analyst Reacts

Dak Prescott had one of the best seasons of his NFL career in 2025, but not everyone agrees with where he ranks among the league's top quarterbacks. A new player ranking has sparked fresh debate over whether the Dallas Cowboys star is still being underrated ahead of the new season. CBS Sports ranked Prescott No. 43 in its Top 100 NFL Players of 2026 list. That is a big jump from No. 90 last year, but some analysts believe his strong 2025 season deserved an even higher spot.

Dak Prescott's 2025 season earns praise despite lower NFL ranking

Pete Prisco praised Prescott for bouncing back after an injury limited him to just eight games in 2024. The Cowboys quarterback started all 17 games in 2025 and threw 30 touchdown passes with 10 interceptions, putting together one of the best seasons of his career.

Prescott also led the NFL with 404 completions and finished with 4,552 passing yards. But Dallas still ended the season with a 7-9-1 record as its defense struggled, allowing 30.1 points per game. Prisco ranked Prescott as the sixth-highest quarterback on his list, behind Matthew Stafford, Josh Allen, Joe Burrow and a few other stars.

Roundtable Sports' Adam Schultz disagreed with that ranking, saying Prescott deserved to be placed much higher after his 2025 campaign. “Does Dak deserve to be above Lamar, Mahomes, and Burrow?” Schultz wrote. “For me, if it is based solely on 2025, absolutely. So why isn't he? Your guess is as good as mine. Prescott had a superb 2025 season and should be a little higher on this list.”

Cowboys quarterback is focused on postseason success

Even with his strong numbers, Prescott is still judged by what he has done in the playoffs. He has a 2-5 postseason record, and the Cowboys have missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons since their Wild Card loss to the Green Bay Packers in 2023. Many believe that is one reason he continues to rank behind several other top quarterbacks.

Prescott understands those expectations better than anyone. Reflecting on how quarterbacks are measured, he said, “If you play this position, how you're judged is winning that last game. Anything other than that, you're warranted to get [the criticism] because you've not won that game. I think we all feel the same and if I know those guys are like me, it's an obsession.”
As Prescott enters his 11th NFL season, the rankings will matter far less than whether he can finally guide Dallas back to a deep playoff run and end the franchise's long wait for another NFC Championship Game appearance.