Who Could Be Dak Prescott's Future Backup? Looking Into Three Potential Options

One of the hottest topics of the NFL offseason has been the future of Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.

He's consistently been one of the most polarizing prospects at the position over recent years and while he's got a solid group of supporters, there's also the sense that he could be on the chopping block depending upon how things shake out this year.

Ahead of the 2023 NFL Draft, the team has been in touch with multiple quarterbacks with different projections as it looks to fill the spot of Prescott's backup-to-be or potential replacement whenever that time comes.

As of now, it's clear the the current backups -- Cooper Rush and Will Grier-- are not going to give Prescott a run for his money, but that doesn't mean that someone else won't come along through the draft or other avenues.

The Cowboys seem to have a habit for taking quarterbacks from close to Texas. One could say they have a niche for 'local' players like the ones from Houston, TCU, or a with past at high schools near Texas. That ties into who the team has been in touch with in the pre-draft process and who they could bring on.

Here's a look into three potential options the Cowboys could take off of the board in April:

1. Max Duggan, TCU.

Among the quarterbacks who have been said to have been in communication with the Cowboys is Heisman finalist Max Duggan out of TCU, who led his team to a title game appearance against the odds as he helped lead the way in one of the best turnarounds in college football last season.

While Duggan was lackluster at the Senior Bowl, he showed he could hang with higher-level competition in 2022 and has a solid floor despite some questions about his ceiling.

Duggan completed 63.7% of his passes for 3,698 yards with 32 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 2022.

2. Clayton Tune, Houston.

The Cowboys have also worked out Houston's Clayton Tune, who closed in on 12,000 passing yards, 104 touchdowns, and 41 interceptions during his five years playing with the Cougars within an offense that features several elements of the Run-N-Shoot and the Air Raid.

The majority of the skeptics of Tune knock him for the simplicity of the offense that he played in, but he's made clear that's not something that he believes to be a hindrance or reason for concern.

3. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee.

One of the most intriguing names on the list of quarterbacks the Cowboys have had conversations with is Tennessee's Hendon Hooker. At some points in the season and certainly before he sustained a torn ACL in November, Hooker was considered a potential top-10 selection.

Hooker showed marked improvement as a passer while also building upon his ability to make plays with his legs when he transferred form Virginia Tech to Tennessee, finishing out his final season for the Vols with a 69.6% completion rate, 3,135 passing yards, 27 touchdowns and two interceptions.

Since Prescott was a fourth-round pick, this adds a an element of curiosity if the Cowboys were to look at third or fourth round quarterback once more.