Dak Prescott

Back when I was a senior in high school in Haughton, LA, I had a chance to go to LSU. Everyone I grew up with adored LSU, including my mom. But I chose to come to Mississippi State because I wanted to start a new tradition instead of perpetuating an established one.

I've been through a lot off the field. I think that kind of translates onto the field. Football serves for a lot of life lessons, and so it allows me to stay humble and continue to work.

When I was younger, I used to pray that I would die before my mom. That's just how much my mom meant to me. I couldn't imagine being in this world without her. But then seeing cancer - seeing what it can do to somebody - as strong and as tough as she was, there was nothing she could do. Cancer is a dirty, dirty deal.

I am smarter because I stayed in school, and I am a better football player.

I hate to lose. It's a bad feeling, but, I mean, it kind of gets you resettled, gets you back right.

I'm just trying to win games and give my team a chance, win as many as we can week in and week out.

I've always wanted to play quarterback, and I lucked out to be able to play for my favorite team - America's team. I'm just living the moment. I feel like all of this was supposed to happen. When you work hard, things work your way.

If there's one perk, it's being the quarterback of America's team and being able to make a difference off the field.

I've been in situations where I was the only black guy. We're in a time now where nobody wants to see that. But it still happens.

Being bi-racial and being from the country, I can talk to guys like Travis Frederick from Wisconsin and Doug Free from Wisconsin. And then I can go over and talk to Dez Bryant. I mean, think about the two different standpoints you need to have a real conversation with both, to really understand what they've been through.

When I chose Mississippi State, of course I dreamed about being a big-time college football player. But I'm so grateful that actually became a reality - and it became a reality in a small town.

A few weeks after my mom passed in November of 2013, I came back from an injury and entered the Egg Bowl in the second half against Ole Miss. I'll never forget the feeling when I walked back out on the field. As I walked into the Egg Bowl, the crowd stood up and clapped like they were enveloping me in a giant hug.

On the field, I went from an anonymous redshirt to a short-yardage specialist to a Heisman Trophy candidate. Off the field, I showed up as a wild kid and grew up.

I want to go where I'm the difference. I want to make something out of nothing. I want to be the reason someone is great.

I don't think people know how much time and effort truly goes into the game and goes into simply just scoring a touchdown. So when you get that opportunity, you should be able to be free and be relaxed from all the pressure that went into scoring that touchdown and have fun.

The game of football is something I dearly love, and there's nothing else I'd rather be doing.

I don't really put too much pressure on myself. The only time people feel pressure is when they put it on themselves and listen to the outside stuff. I have great teammates and great coaches that do the right things around me that allows me to just focus on the game of football.

If somebody says I'm a leader or notices the things I try to do to be a leader, it's the ultimate compliment.

If we're doing a class project, then I'm going to be the one talking and taking the lead. I might not necessarily put all of the work in the project, but I want to help and do as much as I can and get everyone going in the right direction.

I'm hard on myself. I'm my biggest critic.

If you're a competitor, you want to win. That's enough to play for, simple as that.

There are a lot of guys who play in pro-style offenses who are not prepared when they come out of college. Either you're coaching the quarterback to be a quarterback, or you're not.

I grew up in Haughton, Louisiana. I go to my white grandparents' house, and then I cross the railroad tracks and hang out with my black grandma. We have English teachers on my white side. My grandpa is a principal. And then you go to the other side, and people have been in jail.

I will never have a sip of alcohol and get behind the wheel again. Regardless if I'm 300% sure that I just had a sip and I can drive. It doesn't matter.

My dad was a diehard Cowboys fan. I was raised as a Cowboy fan, and I was forced to be a Cowboy fan.