Dak Prescott still has chip on his shoulder after notorious draft slide: ‘It pissed me off’

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott still uses his 2016 NFL Draft slide as motivation.

Five years ago, Dak Prescott fell to the Dallas Cowboys in the fourth round of the 2016 NFL Draft.

Despite being a great SEC quarterback for Mississippi State, Prescott was not taken until day three of the draft. NFL teams had their doubts about his ability to progress as a passer. Fate would have it, he emerged as the Cowboys’ Week 1 starter as a rookie after Tony Romo succumbed to injury in the preseason, and the rest is history. Prescott is still motivated by his 2016 NFL Draft experience.

“Everybody in this league is crazy if they don’t think they’re better than their opponents,” said Prescott to FanSided‘s Mark Carman on behalf of Sleep Number. “But at the same time, I’ve got a lot of respect for Jared [Goff] got a lot of respect for Carson [Wentz] and some of those other guys that obviously got drafted before me but that just allowed that chip on my shoulder to grow bigger and just wanted me to just get a jersey and get my foot in the door even more just to go out there and prove [myself].”

When asked if Prescott felt disrespected to see Paxton Lynch, Connor Cook and Cody Kessler drafted before him, the Cowboys quarterback said he was pissed off to see 134 players picked before him.

Dallas Cowboys: Dak Prescott continues to be motivated after NFL Draft slight

Three quarterbacks went in the first round back in 2016: Jared Goff went No. 1 overall to the Los Angeles Rams. Carson Wentz went a pick later to the Philadelphia Eagles. Paxton Lynch went in the 20s to the Denver Broncos. While Lynch busted in Denver, it is interesting that neither Goff or Wentz are still with the team that drafted them six years into their pro careers. Prescott still is.

What led Prescott to such great success with the Cowboys is two-fold: Maturity and consistency. While his skillset needed a few years to develop, he conducted himself as a professional right away in Dallas. Even though he suffered a season-ending injury a year ago, Prescott’s stabilizing presence in the locker room and in the huddle made him an unquestioned franchise cornerstone.

Years after having to wait to hear his name called, Prescott uses his draft slight as a motivator.

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Because of Sleep Number, Dak Prescott had the chance to chat with Draft prospects Mac Jones and Trey Lance last week, sharing some stories, offering advice and making sure they are taking their sleep seriously these next few weeks.

Prescott has partnered with Sleep Number for several years now, so he knows one of the easiest and most effective ways to optimize recovery and perform at your best on the field is through consistent, high-quality sleep each night.

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