The Dallas Cowboys’ dynamic duo of running back Ezekiel Elliott and quarterback Dak Prescott has turned heads this season. NFL fans have taken notice, and the result is that the Cowboys rookies currently lead all NFL players in fan voting for the Pro Bowl.
Ezekiel Elliott, Dak Prescott lead NFL Pro Bowl voting
Tom Brady is currently in third place behind the Cowboys’ rookies.
Jeanna Kelley has been covering the Falcons for The Falcoholic since 2011 and the NFL for SB Nation since 2015.
Elliott has received 681,361 votes, and Prescott is just behind him, with 607,621 votes. The Cowboys are 11-1 and were the first team to lock up a postseason spot, and Elliott and Prescott’s performances have paved the way for Dallas’ success this season.
Through 12 games, Elliott leads all running backs with 1,285 rushing yards, and just trails New England Patriots running back LeGarrette Blount by one for rushing touchdowns with 12. Elliott also has caught 28 balls for 322 yards and one touchdown, which was a memorable one.
Prescott’s quarterback rating of 108.6 is high enough to rank him behind only Tom Brady (113.1) and Matt Ryan (112.3).
Brady is currently in third place with fan voting with 519,210 votes. Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Antonio Brown is in fourth place with 508,913 votes, and Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr landed in the top five with 500,770 votes.
The defensive player with the most fan votes is Oakland defensive end Khalil Mack with 279,466. Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman is just behind Mack with 245,637.
NFL television ratings have been down this season, prompting some to wonder if the league’s popularity is diminishing. If Pro Bowl voting tendencies are any indication, it is not.
When last year’s Pro Bowl voting concluded, Tom Brady was the top player with 701,554 fan votes. Elliott is just 20,193 votes behind that total now, with a little over a week remaining.
There are a few contributing factors here. One, the Cowboys have an invested nationwide fan base. Two, this is the first year that the NFL has opened up fan voting on social media. This makes it easy for football fans to vote early and often.
Pro Bowl voting concludes on Tuesday, Dec. 13, and NFL players and coaches will cast their votes on Friday, Dec. 16. The Pro Bowl roster is determined by a consensus of player, coach, and fan votes, and the rosters will be announced on Dec. 20 on NFL Network.
See More:
