Dak Prescott Rookie Cards: Best Sets and Parallels to Buy

Just a fourth-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, Dak Prescott has made the most of his pro career while becoming one of the game’s top QBs. Effective through the air and on the ground, Prescott is a star on the field and in the hobby.

Prescott has dozens of rookie cards from the 2016 season, so use the Sports Card Investor guide to see which ones we think you should focus on. Cards are broken down into tiers, ranging from the most affordable and more popular options to the most unique, expensive and rare.

VALUE ROOKIES:

The Value Tier Includes cards with high print runs or lower-quality card stock. A good fit for new collectors or those on a limited budget.

Contenders #22: Prescott’s Rookie of the Year Contender insert is the best value option for this set, though most collectors love Contenders for its incredible lineup of Rookie Ticket Autographs that range from a print run of about 250 to as low as the iconic 1/1.

If you’re willing to beef up your budget, Cracked Ice parallels are fantastic additions to most collections.

Donruss #362: One of Panini’s flagship releases, Donruss is a great place to start for new collectors or those new to football. Prescott’s Rated Rookie is a must-have for any Cowboys fan, and serves as a good value option while still being a signature rookie.

POPULAR ROOKIES:

This tier includes cards from the most popular sets across both retail and hobby formats. Typically easy to buy or sell when needed.

Optic #162: A chrome upgrade to Donruss, Optic is a second chance to get Prescott’s Rated Rookie. It’s a must-have and comes in an impressive variety of parallels like the ultra-popular Holo and the short-printed Blue, Red, Black, and Gold.

Prizm #231: All rookies were considered Prizms parallels in 2016, so expect a lower print run on Prescott than you get in newer Prizm sets. Parallels like Blue, Green, Pink, and Red are all easily available while short-printed ones like Orange, Blue Wave, and Purple Scope are excellent chases. Prescott’s Rookie Autograph Prizm is another option that can really upgrade your collection.

Select #70: As usual, Select is built around its three levels of rookie cards: Concourse, Premier and Field Level. Prescott’s Concourse rookie is the easiest to snag here, while a large set of parallels provides significant variety. The popular Prizms and Tri-Color parallels are good choices while Tie-Dye parallels numbered to just 25 add serious pop.

MORE UNIQUE ROOKIES:

This tier Includes cards with lower print runs, unique designs, or cards from hobby-only products. Usually higher-quality cards than the Value or Popular Tiers, though not necessarily more popular or easier to buy or sell.

Plates and Patches #154: This set is a good option if you’re looking for low-numbered base cards — all rookies are numbered to just 79. Along with short-printed base cards, Plates and Patches focuses on, you guessed it, patches and autographs. Prescott’s RPA is numbered to just 99 and is a good starting point.

Preferred #84: You won’t find a regular base card with Preferred, but its high-end patches and autographs are all worth owning if you have the budget. Rookie Silhouettes numbered to just 99 are a good place to start while a variety of prime 1/1 patches are fit for the finest collections.

Spectra #199: Like Preferred, Prescott doesn’t have a base rookie in this lineup, but Spectra’s RPAs are worth chasing. One of Panini’s higher-end sets, Spectra features modern designs and fantastic parallels like Neon Blue, Neon Orange, and the Gold 1/1.

RAREST AND MOST EXCLUSIVE:

We won’t spend much time here because this category is likely out of reach for most collectors due to price, but they are still fun to look at.

Sets like Flawless, Immaculate and National Treasures typically feature visually stunning designs and low-numbered cards.

This is also where you’ll find the most impressive patches paired with high-quality on-card autographs. Don’t worry if this tier is too pricey as there are plenty of options in other categories that could be perfect for your collection.

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