On April 30, 2016, Dak Prescott sat frustrated as the NFL draft entered its third day. The Mississippi State quarterback, who had led the Bulldogs to their first No. 1 ranking in school history, watched as teams passed on him despite his stellar college career. His mood soured until the Dallas Cowboys selected him with the 135th overall pick.

Prescott's journey to Dallas was anything but straightforward. The Cowboys had initially focused on other quarterbacks like Carson Wentz and Paxton Lynch, even attempting to trade up for Lynch in the first round. When those plans fell through, Dallas found itself with a late fourth-round grade on Prescott. The team had evaluated him thoroughly, including private workouts and his Senior Bowl performance, where he won MVP for the South team.

Ten years later, Prescott has become the NFL's highest-paid player with a $60 million annual contract and Dallas' all-time leader in passing yards, attempts, and completions. His 135th overall selection, tattooed on his wrist as a daily reminder, stands as one of the most successful late-round draft picks in NFL history. From an angry prospect watching teams pass him by to the face of America's Team, Prescott's path to Dallas represents a remarkable turn of events that has defined a decade of Cowboys football.