Feb. 21, 2026, 7:20 a.m. CT

Shortages of opinions on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott just don’t occur. Where he ranks in the NFL hierarchy seems to shift annually, and his 2025 season is earning Prescott some high praise from Chase Daniel, a 14-year veteran who now works at ESPN, as well as The Athletic.

Daniel has grown a significant following for his breakdowns on quarterback play over the years, and in a recent post, ranked the top 5 QBs in the NFC, placing Prescott in very high standing.

As Daniel says, the “film don’t lie,” and despite the Cowboys not having success as a team, it was one of Prescott’s best seasons. Dallas’ signal caller finished as Daniel’s second-best QB in the NFC, behind only the Los Angeles Rams’ Matthew Stafford, who won the MVP award.

Prescott was ranked higher than Brock Purdy, Jared Goff, and Jordan Love, who rounded out Daniels’ top 5. Among the quarterbacks not listed were Caleb Williams, Baker Mayfield, or Super Bowl winner Sam Darnold. 

Also included is those who didn’t make the cut and are often argued about in Prescott’s tier include fellow NFC East signal callers Jalen Hurts, of the Philadelphia Eagles, and Jayden Daniels from the Washington Commanders. 

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This is just one man’s opinion and during the offseason, but it’s hard to argue based on last year’s results. Prescott was among the best QBs in the league in 2025 and his statistics back that up, ranking near the top of the NFL in most passing categories.

Prescott now needs to maintain his high level of play, something he’s struggled to do consistently. For now, Prescott appears to be slotted appropriately as one of the NFC’s best QBs.

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