Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott is being compared to Tim Tebow by NFL scouts and was even referred to as "Tebow 2.0" by one high-ranking scout, according to Walter Football's Charlie Campbell.
The comparisons are clearly visible when looking at the two quarterbacks, as they are both large men who look like they could fill the role of linebacker. Prescott is 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, while Tebow is slightly bigger, listed at 6-foot-3 and 245 pounds by the Eagles. The similarities don't stop there; their playing styles are very similar.
They are both bruising quarterbacks who enjoy contact, and never look to slide. This is not a highly sought commodity in the NFL as defensive linebackers and linemen are much bigger in the league.
Prescott was involved in much of the Heisman talk throughout the season last year, and was even leading the discussion when Mississippi State was 9-0. The Bulldogs struggled down the stretch, losing to Alabama, in-state rivals Ole Miss, and to Georgia Tech in the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Prescott had a strong passing season last year, throwing 27 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, but with a lower completion percentage of 61.6. Completion percentage and not fitting passes in to tight spaces has always been Tebow's major criticism as well. This is not a good look for Prescott because NFL scouts are going to see Prescott's best completion percentage is worse than Tebow's four year average at Florida, which was 66.4.
When comparing junior seasons, Prescott actually ran the ball better than Tebow. Prescott had 986 rushing yards last season, averaging 4.7 yards per carry. Tebow in his junior season (2008) had 673 yards, averaging 3.8 yards per carry. The truth is that running the ball in college looks nice for the Heisman, but when it comes to scouting for the NFL it's a distant second.
Tebow was selected 25th in the first round of the 2010 draft, and mainly because of Josh McDaniels and Tebow's intangibles. In college Tebow won two national championships and a Heisman. For Dak Prescott to get the Tebow label dropped he has to have a huge season, but not just by winning. People watched Tebow and believed he had all the intangibles and that he would make it work in the league, but it has not been so easy as he is fighting to survive on the Eagles.
For Prescott to even think of entering the first three rounds of the draft he must have a great passing season, and Prescott threw 11 interceptions last year, five worse than Tebow's worst year in the swamp. They both played in the toughest confrence in college football, the SEC, and they both played against top college defenses. Tebow had targets around him like Percy Harvin, Aaron Hernandez, and Riley Cooper, but scouts won't want to hear what Prescott doesn't have. It will be up to Prescott to make smart decisions and limit turnovers, but entering the draft comparisons will be inevitable between Prescott and Tebow.
