MISSISSIPPI STATE JUNIOR QB DAK PRESCOTT

Stats: 211-of-345, 61.2 percent, 2,996 passing yards, 24 passing TDs, 10 INTs, 19 sacks, 151.3 rating

Big-time game: Against LSU in Death Valley. As coach Les Miles says, Death Valley is where dreams go to die. Well, Prescott and the Bulldogs went in and won. Dak was 15-of-24 for 268 yards with two passing touchdowns and no picks. He also had 22 carries for 105 yards and another score. LSU’s defense was its only bright spot all season, and he torched them. That game really put Prescott on the map and got the Heisman talk started.

Not his best effort: He played very well all season long, but as the season went on, his turnovers went up. His worst game came against Alabama. He was 27-of-48 for 290 yards and two touchdowns. The big number in that game, however was three. He threw three interceptions in that game and all three came in Alabama territory. To beat the Crimson Tide, you can’t turn it over and give them extra possessions, and that’s what ultimately happened.

Improvements: He may elect to come back to Mississippi State and improve a little more, specifically throwing the ball. He has a solid arm but he can definitely improve on strength and accuracy. This offseason will be a big one for Prescott.

Strengths: He has all the intangibles in the world for a quarterback. He’s also a very talented runner with a high football IQ. Prescott runs the Dan Mullen offense almost to perfection, and I think that if he returns for his senior year (which he should), he has the chance to have a really special season.

Weakness: Prescott tried a little too hard some games this year and forced the ball. That led to some pretty costly turnovers that really hurt the Bulldogs season. I’m not 100 percent sold on his arm talent, either. I think he has room to improve his accuracy and strength, but those are both fixable and he has the dedication to do it.

Overall: Prescott was my Heisman Trophy frontrunner at the halfway point this season. He was playing lights out and Mississippi State looked unstoppable. A few turnover-prone games later, the season went downhill. Don’t get me wrong, this guy and the Bulldogs had a very solid 2014 and he was still voted first-team All-SEC. He has some improvements to make this offseason and I believe that he will make those corrections.