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The Dallas rookie passer made an impression on Jason Garret and the offensive staff starting with their first meeting.
There are a select few people that when you meet them for the first time who just blow you away and let you know that they have the one thing that no measurable statistic can quantify. Call it being a natural born leader, call it charisma; the Dallas Cowboys coaching staff saw it in the way Dak Prescott handled himself during their first meeting with the Mississippi State quarterback prior to the Senior Bowl.
"By far Dak was the most assertive and confident player in there. Whatever that 'it' factor is, he had it above the other three. Very confident and very poised in the interview process." - Wade Wilson
Dak was one of four quarterbacks that the team met with to start the process of evaluating the available talent at the position. Because of time limitations those initial meets were more focused on getting to know the prospects as individuals rather than an attempt to delve into the player's football IQ.
It was during this time that the staff first became aware of Prescott's demeanor. The confidence shown by the young passer and the way he controlled discussions gave the Cowboys reassurance that he could step in to a huddle with men like Jason Witten, Dez Bryant, and a complement of Pro Bowl lineman and command respect. He quickly became someone the team would do their due diligence on.
Each time Prescott met with team officials he was able to reinforce the initial impression that he gave. He was able to prove to their satisfaction that he could not only lead in the huddle but also by working hard to better himself throughout the entire pre-draft process. They also got a chance to see how he dealt with adversity because of his DUI charge.
Eventually Prescott got the chance to make a "second" first impression when he was invited to Valley Ranch and met with team owner Jerry Jones for the first time. The boss too was pleased with what he learned by meeting the young man.
"I had many fans of the teams he played in the SEC and the conversation invariably was how he single-handedly was the difference, so he had that coming in. The question was, 'Could he do those things at this level?' What is impressive is his confidence and he is buckling in, working and trying to solve the problems." - Jerry Jones
Jones was impressed enough to sign off on Prescott as a suitable prospect for the Cowboys. When the opportunity rolled around the front office did not hesitate to invest in the young man that the felt had so much potential. Granted, they did not expect to see it become so important so quickly, but Dallas stands poised to ride Prescott's IT.
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