How the Cowboys Snagged Dak Prescott at No. 135 in 2016 and Built a Decade-Long Dynasty

Back on April 30, 2016, Dak Prescott was sitting in Frisco, Texas, surrounded by family and friends, and he was furious. Day 3 of the NFL draft was underway. Rounds 4 through 7 were rolling past. And the kid from Haughton, Louisiana who had led Mississippi State to its first ever No. 1 ranking in school history was still sitting at home. "I was mad as hell. Like mad at everybody," Prescott said later.

Before the draft even started, he thought Arizona would grab him in Round 3. They didn't. Then Dallas, the team he rooted for growing up, passed too. That's when the anger set in. But then something wild happened. His aunt showed up wearing a Cowboys T-shirt that day, and Prescott remembers being confused, even frustrated about it. "And I'm like, 'What the f--- are you doing?' And we ended up getting picked by the Cowboys," he said. The team used the No. 135 overall pick, a compensatory selection in the fourth round, not even their first pick of that round.

From Day 3 Frustration to NFL's Highest-Paid Player

A decade later, that moment looks like the best call Dallas ever made. Prescott is now the NFL's highest-paid player, pulling in $60 million a year. He took over as the Cowboys' starting quarterback as a rookie when Tony Romo got injured, and he never let go of the job. The numbers tell the story. Prescott is already the franchise's all-time leader in passing yards, passing attempts, and passing completions. This season, with six touchdown passes already, he's about to become the Cowboys' all-time leader in that category too.

The Quest for a Super Bowl Crown

For ten years now, Prescott has been the face of the Cowboys franchise, trying to do what Pro Football Hall of Famers Roger Staubach and Troy Aikman accomplished: bring a Super Bowl championship back to Dallas. That fourth-round compensatory pick, the one that came on the day Prescott was mad at everybody, turned out to be the best decision the organization could have made. Not the first pick of the round. Not a second or third rounder. A compensatory selection from a player who felt disrespected and doubted. That's the story of how Dallas found their quarterback.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.