College Football

Mississippi State QB Prescott shows off arm for NFL execs

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 7:10 p.m. ET

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STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) Mississippi State's Dak Prescott dropped back a few steps and then let a long pass fly. Receiver De'Runnya Wilson dashed full speed down the sideline before the high-arching pass finally settled perfectly into his hands.

A few other players whistled and clapped. The dozens of NFL scouts watching scribbled some notes.

There was a time when Prescott would much rather run the ball than throw it down field.

These days, he can't wait to show off his arm.

''It's been really fun,'' Prescott said. ''Obviously, early in my career I wasn't that great of a thrower, but after the time and the work I've put into it, it's really one of my strengths now.''

Prescott and about 15 other Mississippi State players worked out for scouts from 30 NFL teams on Thursday afternoon at the on-campus pro day. The 6-foot-2, 226-pound quarterback was one of the main attractions, going through passing drills with receivers.

It was another chance for Prescott - projected to go anywhere from the second-to fourth-round in the upcoming NFL draft - to show how much he's developed as a passer during his five years at Mississippi State.

The Haughton, Louisiana, native was considered a work in progress when he came to campus, but is now the school's career passing leader by a wide margin.

He completed more than 66 percent of his passes for last season, finishing with 3,793 yards passing, 29 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Mississippi State finished with a 9-4 record, including a victory in the Belk Bowl.

''I think I've helped myself from the Senior Bowl until now, including the combine,'' Prescott said. ''I've had a pretty solid performance all the way through. I don't think I've done anything to hinder my grade or where I'll go in the draft.''

Prescott said he's met with several NFL teams over the past few weeks. He said most don't have any questions about his on-field performance - instead they want to test his mind.

''We get the stigma coming from this offense - a tempo offense - that we don't read (the field) much,'' Prescott said. ''That's the most fun deal in this whole process - to get on the board and show the scouts how much I really know football.''

Prescott led Mississippi State to 19 wins over the past two seasons, which is one of the many reasons he is arguably the most popular player in school history. At his final home game in November, hundreds of fans from toddlers to adults wore a jersey with his No. 15 on it.

Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen said Prescott handled his fame extremely well while he was on campus - a trait which should bode well if he ever becomes an NFL starter.

''The quarterback is the face of the organization in the NFL,'' Mullen said. ''And now they've looking at a young guy who was the face of our organization here. He knows how to handle that pressure and knows how to carry himself.''

Some other highlights from Mississippi State's pro day centered around receiver De'Runnya Wilson and defensive lineman Chris Jones.

Wilson ran the 40-yard dash twice, finishing with times of 4.78 and 4.81 seconds. Both runs were slightly disappointing, though they were better than the 4.85 he ran at the NFL combine. The 6-foot-5, 224-pounder is an intriguing prospect - he caught 60 passes for 918 yards and a team-high 10 touchdowns last season - but his lack of straight-line speed might scare some NFL teams.

Jones, 6-6, 310 pounds went through position drills on Thursday. He is projected as a potential first-round pick and hopes to lose about 10 more pounds to get to his ideal playing weight.

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Follow David Brandt on Twitter: www.twitter.com/davidbrandtAP