Mississippi State quarterback Dak Prescott appears to be thinking a bit differently about a potential entry into the NFL draft than he did a few months ago.
The Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger reported that Prescott has received the requested feedback from the NFL Draft Advisory Board and that Prescott is choosing to keep the information private.
In October, Prescott (6-foot-2, 230 pounds) said he would enter the draft if he were projected as a first-rounder and would consider it if he were projected in the second or third rounds. The advisory board has changed its feedback system, informing players that they could be drafted in the first round, in the second round or should return to school.
Prescott told the Clarion-Ledger that comfort now is the key. "I don't think it's any more round," Prescott said. "Just what I feel (is) best for me, what I feel more comfortable doing."
He said he will talk more with coach Dan Mullen after the Bulldogs' Dec. 31 appearance in the Orange Bowl against Georgia Tech and then make a decision.
Prescott already has graduated; if he stays in school, he will play next fall as a graduate student.
"I still have another year to come back and improve, get better if I need to," he told the Clarion-Ledger.
He definitely can improve as a passer. Prescott plays in a run-heavy version of the spread -- the Bulldogs have run the ball on 59.4 percent of their plays this season -- and is a physical runner. He has thrown for 2,996 yards and rushed for 939, and he has a great chance to become just the seventh quarterback in FBS history to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 in the same season.
But he needs further refinement in almost every facet as a passer. "Prescott's pocket-passing skills are the big question marks for evaluators attempting to project his potential as a pro," NFL Media analyst Bucky Brooks wrote in November, specifically mentioning Prescott's accuracy when throwing into tight windows.
Mike Huguenin can be reached at mike.huguenin@nfl.com. You also can follow him on Twitter @MikeHuguenin.
