Cowboys' Dak Prescott Snubbed By Colin Cowherd in Top 10 NFL QB Rankings

Colin Cowherd said Dak Prescott is a very good player, but left the Dallas Cowboys signal-caller out of his list of top-10 quarterbacks.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott passes the ball against the Washington Commanders. | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Criticism comes with the territory when you play for the Dallas Cowboys and perhaps no one understands this as well as Dak Prescott.

A fourth-round pick in 2016 out of Mississippi State, Prescott was forced to start as a rookie due to injuries ahead of him, but he never surrendered his hold on the job. Entering his 11th season in the NFL, Prescott has led the Cowboys to a record of 83-55-1 and leads his franchise in all-time passing yardage with 35,989 yards.

Despite that production, he's rarely considered one of the top players by pundits. That was again the case when Colin Cowherd named his top 10 quarterbacks in the NFL, and left Prescott out. He did mention Prescott, as well as Baker Mayfield and Jordan Love, as really good players, but said they're all outside of the top 10.

Why was Dak Prescott snubbed?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott looks for an open receiver as New York Giants LB Abdul Carter runs towards him. | Kevin R. Wexler-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Before diving into his list of players, Cowherd explained what he looks for in a great quarterback.

"First thing I look at is production. I need touchdowns. I need yards. I need mobility. I need you to be, at least at some level, elevate others," Cowherd said. "Can you get the ball to your stars at minimum? Production. Second thing, durability. You got to be available to play. The third thing, and this is really a key to me, what is your current momentum? Are you an ascending player?"

1. Josh Allen
2. Patrick Mahomes
3-10. 👀@colincowherd ranks his top 10 QBs entering the 2026 season pic.twitter.com/KBAxEsZ0fY

— Herd w/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) May 13, 2026

Prescott passes the test on the first two. He can rack up the yardage with anyone, and he was the leader in touchdown passes in 2023. He's also mobile enough to move in the pocket, even if he doesn't run as much as he did in his early years.

That said, the durability could be what holds him back. Prescott was healthy in 2025, but missed significant time in 2020, 2022, and 2024. It would be interesting to see if Cowherd's ranking changed had Prescott been able to stay healthy throughout his career.

Who made the top 10 list?

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen drops to throw during the AFC Divisional Round playoff game against the Denver Broncos. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

It's no surprise that Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills led the list, and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs was right behind him. There were some surprises, however, including Caleb Williams at No. 3 and Justin Herbert ahead of Matthew Stafford.

1. Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
2. Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
3. Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
4. Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers
5. Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
6. Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals
7. Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
8. Drake Maye, New England Patriots
9. Jared Goff, Los Angeles Rams
10. Sam Darnold, Seattle Seahawks

Another reason Prescott may have been snubbed is his lack of success in the playoffs. At just 2-5, he's often criticized for his performances in the postseason, something he hopes to change this year.

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