Dallas Cowboys sign unpolished Dak Prescott-clone at quarterback

The Dallas Cowboys have signed a rookie quarterback heading into training camp. And this new passer seems to possess some Dak Prescott-like qualities.

The Dallas Cowboys seemed more than satisfied to go into training camp this weekend with their current stable of quarterbacks. Dak Prescott, Cooper Rush, and Mike White were all on the active roster last season. And the biggest question going into camp was whether the Cowboys would elect to keep three quarterbacks again this season or possibly only two.

Prescott is obviously cemented as the current and future starter. The battle between the undrafted Rush and the 2018 fifth-round selection in White figured to be one to watch this summer. But on Wednesday, the Cowboys announced the signing for another quarterback. And this one shares some eerie similarities with Prescott.

It has now being reported by the Cowboys’ official website that Dallas has signed Taryn Christion, an undrafted rookie quarterback out of South Dakota State. Christion will fill the roster spot left open by former wide receiver Allen Hurns. The young passer was signed by the Seattle Seahawks this offseason but released in May. So how does Christion compare to Prescott?

First, they share a similar frame. Prescott is 6-foot-2, 235-pounds. Christion stands 6-foot-2 and weighs in 20-pounds lighter at 215. Check out these college highlights of Christion and see if he doesn’t appear Dak-like to you. Just imagine a No. 4 on the back of the jersey instead of No. 3.

The second similarity between Prescott and Christion is their running ability. Over the past three seasons, Prescott has rushed for 944 yards and 18 touchdowns in Dallas. Coming out of Mississippi State, Dak was considered a dual-threat quarterback and posted a total of 2,521 rushing yards and a whopping 41 rushing touchdowns over his four-year college career with the Bulldogs.

A state-champion track star in high school, Christion is also considered a dual-threat quarterback, finishing with 1,515 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns in four-years with the Jackrabbits.

As passers, Christion’s number exceeded Prescott’s in college albeit against much lesser competition. Dak threw for a total of 9,376 yards, 70 touchdowns and 23 interceptions in the SEC. While Taryn threw for 11,535 yards, 104 touchdowns and 34 interceptions in the Missouri Valley Football Conference (MVFC).

But it’s their completion percentage that’s similar. Prescott posted a career completion percentage of 62.8 as the future Cowboys’ starter struggled with accuracy during his time with the Bulldogs. Accuracy is still an issue at times for Dak. Christion has the same problem posting a 59.7 completion percentage for the Jackrabbits during his tenure.

According to NFL.com draft analyst Lance Zierlein, Christion is a strong-armed quarterback with outstanding mobility and speed outside the pocket. But his struggles with accuracy make him a project. Sound familiar? It’s nearly the same assessment Zierlein had of Prescott coming out of college, noting Dak’s NFL size, mobility, and arm, but also warning about his mechanics.

Let’s make this clear. Taryn Christion is not Dak Prescott. But there are enough similarities to their game to believe the Dallas Cowboys might be the perfect landing spot for a developmental player like Christion. He’ll certainly have the perfect model to follow. But the rookie’s first challenge will be beating out Cooper Rush and Mike White for what might be just one open spot on the active roster behind Prescott on the depth chart.