Colin Cowherd gives his verdict on NFL MVP choice between Baker Mayfield and Dak Prescott

We've reached the point in the season where the MVP conversation starts to take off, and Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott and Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield have drawn interest. Both stars' teams have a shot at making postseason appearances with the way they've played.

Mayfield and the Bucs are 4-1, and they top the NFC South with twice as many wins as the second-placed Atlanta Falcons. Meanwhile, Prescott and the Cowboys have a distance to go. The offense is on fire, but their poor defense has them at 2-2-1 for third in a competitive NFC East.

NFL analyst Colin Cowherd weighed in on the early MVP conversation on "The Herd" in an X clip on Monday. He highlighted Prescott's impressive rise to reliable playmaker.

"When Dak Prescott broke into this league, [Ezekiel Elliott] was a great running back," he said. "The O-line ... was the best in a decade in the NFL. Dak got a lot of credit and didn't have to do a lot of heavy lifting. He had to babysit Dez Bryant. That was about it. But [Prescott] was a little overrated.

"Now, Dak isn't getting enough credit. They don't have a No. 1 receiver, currently. The offensive line is still in a rebuild mode. Running game: okay. Staff: fine. Defense: last in the league ... Dak's gone from a little overrated to, now, underappreciated."

He then laid out his early take on the MVP race.

"If I had an MVP vote today, I would vote, probably, Baker Mayfield one and Dak two," he continued. "I would give Baker it because he's won more games, and he's won them late ... I think the overall roster down in Tampa is better than the Cowboys' roster."

Statistically, Mayfield has been more consistent, while Prescott has recorded the bigger games.

Dak Prescott vs. Baker Mayfield: The 2025 MVP race takes off

Dak Prescott plays under an offensive coordinator for a head coach in Brian Schottenheimer, while Baker Mayfield plays under a defensive coordinator head coach in Todd Bowles.

This is evident in the stats, as Prescott has more 300-yard passing games than Mayfield and the only four-touchdown game between the two. However, stats might go a long way in one's MVP case, but overall consistency also carries a lot of weight.

Mayfield arguably holds the edge in that category. While Prescott is saddled with carrying both the offense and a porous defense, Mayfield's consistency has seen him throw only one pick heading into Week 6, compared to Prescott's three.