Cowboys predicted to draft possible Dak Prescott replacement

The main characters in the 2026 NFL Draft are not the quarterbacks.

Although the first pick on the night will be a QB in the form of Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, he might be the only one we see taken on the opening round.

But that doesn't mean future franchise QBs can't be found in later rounds.

In fact, there might be a better chance for a few teams to find their future signal-caller in this upcoming NFL Draft, as they can sit properly behind a starter for a few years before getting thrown to the wolves of the pros.

One of those teams might be the Dallas Cowboys, who are happy with current franchise starter Dak Prescott, but might start looking towards the future in the coming NFL Drafts.

ESPN's Ben Solak, in a recent mock draft, believes the Dallas Cowboys will make a move on a new backup for Prescott.

And someone who could one day take the job from him as the gunslinger in Dallas.

"The QB2 job is up for grabs in Dallas, with incoming Sam Howell battling incumbent Joe Milton III for the right to back up Dak Prescott," wrote Solak. "This is not a particularly thrilling QB2 battle. Milton is an inexperienced developmental QB who excites with his highlights but cannot be trusted for reliable play. Howell is a one-time starter who was traded twice last season as the Vikings and Eagles tried him out as a backup before moving on."

So, Solak believes that the Cowboys should take the other quarterback in the College Football Playoff national title game, who almost beat the projected No. 1 pick, Mendoza: Miami's Carson Beck.

"When kept clean, Beck plays well within himself," Solak went on. "He throws with anticipation and decisiveness, and he can flash high-caliber precision to pull receivers away from coverage when working between the numbers. Beck is very much a rhythm/confidence thrower who lets his mistakes compound, but he can also get into a pocket and throw with NFL timing and zip."

Turning 33 this year, Prescott still has time in the spotlight in Dallas, but with the organization still searching for its first NFC Championship appearance in three decades, that warmth under center won't last forever.

If the Cowboys believe that Beck or any other college QB could be the future heir to the Cowboys' QB lineage, Jerry Jones isn't going to flinch before making the move.

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: Cowboys predicted to draft possible Dak Prescott replacement