Where does Dak Prescott's rookie season rank among QBs in NFL history?

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is defying the loftiest of expectations during his rookie season, steering his team to a 10-game winning streak and the league's best record.

Prescott emerged out of nowhere and was only named the starting quarterback after Tony Romo fractured a vertebra in his back during the preseason.

The 23-year-old, along with teammate Ezekiel Elliott are the talk of the NFL and it's worth evaluating where Prescott's campaign compares among the best rookie seasons in league history.

Dak Prescott, 2016

Prescott is submitting the most efficient season by a rookie quarterback in NFL history, completing 67.9 percent of his passes for 2,835 yards, 18 touchdowns against two interceptions. Extrapolating Prescott's numbers over the course of 16 games, the Cowboys' standout is on pace to tie Russell Wilson and Peyton Manning's rookie touchdown record with 26. Prescott is also undergoing nearly unprecedented team success as a rookie, with the Cowboys sporting an NFL-best 10-1 record and showing no signs of stopping. It's always difficult to contextualize greatness in the present, but we may be all witnesses to a legend in the making.

Russell Wilson, 2012

Matt Flynn was widely expected to be the Seahawks' starting quarterback for the 2012 season after being signed to a three-year, $20.5-million contract earlier in the offseason. However, Wilson embodied head coach Pete Carroll's open competition philosophy to the fullest, snatching the job away from Flynn with an outstanding preseason. From there onward, Wilson never looked back, tying Peyton Manning's mark for most passing touchdowns by a rookie with 26, leading the Seahawks to the divisional round. Wilson and the Seahawks haven't missed the playoffs during his career, capturing Super Bowl XLVIII. Through his sixth season, Wilson ranks among the greatest players in franchise history.

Robert Griffin III, 2012

It's easy to forget how brilliant Griffin was during his rookie season, taking the nation's capital by storm after being selected second overall in the 2012 NFL Draft. Griffin was a dynamic force spearheading the Redskins' aerial and ground attacks, throwing 20 touchdowns against five interceptions, while rushing for 815 yards and seven scores. Unfortunately, the trajectory of Griffin's career was irreparably damaged when he re-injured his ACL and LCL while trying to recover a botched snap during a wild-card game against the Seahawks, and never returned to his spectacular rookie form.

Cam Newton, 2011

Newton made his inimitable impact on the league from his first snap, featuring as a pocket passer, running back, and fullback during his rookie campaign. The former Heisman Trophy winner lived up to his pre-draft billing, throwing for a career-best 4,051 yards and 21 touchdowns, while punching in 706 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground. Newton continued to improve as a passer during the course of his career, but put the league on notice with a combination of speed, power, arm strength, size, and athletic ability that hadn't been witnessed before.

Ben Roethlisberger, 2004

Roethlisberger's raw numbers belie the impact he made on the Steelers during his rookie season, taking over the team's starting job after injuries to Tommy Maddox and Charlie Batch. After taking over the job, Roethlisberger rattled off 13 consecutive victories, eventually sitting out the team's final regular-season game as the Steelers cruised to an NFL-best 15-1 record. The Steelers were ultimately defeated by the eventual Super Bowl champion New England Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. However, Roethlisberger captured his first of two titles the following year, marking one of the greatest starts to a career in league history.

Dan Marino, 1983

Marino was inserted into the starting lineup during Week 6 of the 1983 season, taking over from David Woodley permanently. After securing the job, Marino went 7-2 for the remainder of the year, tossing 20 touchdowns against six interceptions as the Dolphins won the AFC East with a 12-4 mark. However, Marino submitted a middling performance in his first playoff game as the Seahawks defeated the Dolphins 28-20. Marino made his lone Super Bowl appearance the following year, but the Dolphins were routed 38-16 by the San Francisco 49ers. Nonetheless, Marino's rookie year foreshadowed one of the greatest careers in history and he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005.