National Football League

Joel Klatt projects which NFL Draft prospects could be the next Dak Prescott

Published Mar. 21, 2017 9:10 a.m. ET

Joel Klatt

Last spring, the Dallas Cowboys were getting frustrated after trying to trade up several times in the NFL Draft for quarterbacks they valued. With the age and fragility of Tony Romo, the team needed to find a potential backup for the veteran quarterback and selected Mississippi State's Dak Prescott with the 135th pick late in the fourth round. We all saw what happened next -- a Romo injury followed by Prescott leading the Cowboys to a 13-3 regular season in a Pro Bowl rookie year.

There's no doubt that teams will be hoping to land the next Dak Prescott in the 2017 NFL Draft. Here are a few names to keep your eyes on in the middle rounds.

Davis Webb, California: He took a long road from Texas Tech to Berkeley before having a solid season in 2016. Webb is a talented player, but he is incredibly raw having played in the Air Raid system throughout his college career.

Nathan Peterman, Pitt: After losing the starting job at Tennessee to Joshua Dobbs, Peterman found a home at Pitt, where he led two of the biggest upsets in the nation last season over Penn State and Clemson. Having played in a pro-style offense will cut down his NFL leaning curve dramatically.

Jerod Evans, Virginia Tech: Evans had a marvelous season in his lone year in Blacksburg after a stellar JUCO stint. He is physically imposing, standing around 6-4 and coming in at 230 pounds. His accuracy and ability to limit mistakes is what I liked most about his film, and NFL personnel will take note of the 29-8 TD-INT ratio he accumulated last season.

Chad Kelly, Ole Miss: The guy that I think could have the biggest Dak Prescott-like effect on the NFL early in his career is the charismatic QB from Ole Miss. Kelly has a bit of a checkered behavior history, having been dismissed from Clemson in 2014, but his swagger, competitiveness and ability to anticipate throwing windows will lend itself to early success in the NFL. He may not be the first QB taken in this draft, but Kelly has the confidence that he can play and dominate at the pro level.