3rd Round, 94th Overall: QB Dak Prescott, Mississippi State
Explanation: Yes, the pick has finally arrived. The Broncos have selected their QB of the future.. Or have they? There have been rumors that the Broncos really like Prescott and it’s easy to see why. Prescott spend the last few seasons breaking the record books and being a thorn in the side of his rivals in the SEC at Mississippi State.
At 6’2, 226 lbs, Prescott has the strong frame paired with good athleticism to scramble and make plays out of the pocket. In the pocket, Prescott’s mechanics greatly improved over his time in college. This resulted in improved play and production each year.
Lauded for his work ethic and leadership skills, Prescott has all of the necessary intangibles to lead an NFL team. Size? Check. Arm talent? Check. Athleticism? Check. Coachable? Check? Great leader? Check. So why is his not rated higher? One very poor choice is what places Prescott in this draft slot.
After a recent DUI arrest, Prescott’s character and off-field maturity was questioned, causing the former Bulldog to slip on most draft boards. By all accounts, this sounds like it was an isolated incident and an embarrassing blemish on an otherwise sterling prospect resume. Prescott has since apologized and taken all accountability for this event and is staunch in his commitment to improving himself moving forward.
For the Broncos and Prescott, this serves as a good fit for both sides. For Denver, the Broncos are in desperate need of another young QB prospect and in Prescott, they could find good value here towards the end of the 3rd round. I’m not going to say he’s the next Russell Wilson, but Prescott definitely has the skill set and attitude needed for a prospect to come in and compete right away. I could see them drafting Prescott or another QB higher, but there’s one thing that has me holding back at that projection for the moment.
Gary Kubiak’s recent comments about Trevor Siemian at the NFL owner’s meetings left many Broncos fans wondering about his prospects as the Broncos starting QB. Quotes are courtesy of Seth Medvin and the Denver Broncos media staff.
On how important it is to not rush a young quarterback
“It’s time to rush Trevor. After your rookie year, usually in my experience, if you’re going to be a really good player in this league, you make your biggest jump from Year One to [Year] Two. It’s just a natural jump. I’m really excited to watch him come back in April and see how far he has come. I know how he left and I know the confidence that we have in him, but let’s see because he’s going to be much more in a leadership role than he was in the past.” – Gary Kubiak
Judging by that comment made by Kubiak this past week and the recent inactivity in the Free Agency or Trade market, it’s clear that they believe Siemian will play a larger role in the QB competition than many expected. I don’t think that necessarily rules out the possibility of the Broncos drafting a QB in the first 2 rounds, but it does give them the patience to seek out the right prospect for the right VALUE. I think that a player of Prescott’s caliber is a good value pick at the end of the 3rd round and is someone that could instantly challenge for the starting job, if not take over and becomes the Broncos QB moving forward.