Cowboys' newest coaching hire sends loud signal about No. 12 draft pick

The NFL is a relationship business. It's all about who you know, and we are always reminded of that during the coaching hiring cycle. For the most part, head coaches hire people whom they know or have previously worked with at another destination. That’s why someone like Lunda Wells is getting an offensive coordinator interview with Mike McCarthy in Pittsburgh.

But it also happens during the NFL Draft process. Teams like players that they know/had a previous connection with. It takes some of the risk out of drafting players when you know them. That’s why the Dallas Cowboys selected Bobby Carpenter in the 2006 draft, because Bill Parcells coached his father, Rob, when he was with the New York Giants (that might be a bad example, but the point remains).

The Cowboys have a new defensive coordinator with Christian Parker, and he is already making some big-time hires to improve his unit. But his most recent hire, Ryan Smith, a Cardinals cornerback coach, has a unique connection to one of the NFL Draft’s top prospects worth examining.

Mansoor Delane has a strong connection to new Cowboys’ coach Ryan Smith

There is a good debate as to who is the top cornerback prospect in the 2026 NFL Draft, but one of the contenders is Mansoor Delane from LSU. Despite less-than-ideal measurables, he’s got the attitude and coverage ability to be a star in the NFL. 

But before he transferred to LSU, Delane was a star cornerback at Virginia Tech. And who helped recruit him to the Hookies? That was none other than Ryan Smith, who will now serve as the Cowboys' cornerback coach. Delane cited Smith as one of the reasons he chose the school, and he believes Smith helped him develop into the player he is today.

Does that mean that it’s a lock that the Cowboys will select Delane in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft? Of course not. The front office typically likes cornerbacks with more length, and who knows how Parker views him at the next level. There’s also a chance that he’s picked before Dallas is even on the clock at No. 12.

But does this connection help improve the chances Dallas selects Delane in Round 1? Absolutely. Smith coached Delane, and there is obviously a strong relationship there. The Cowboys also have a huge need at cornerback, and Delane might be the best one in the class.

The hiring of Ryan Smith is a big move for Dallas, as they desperately need to improve their secondary. And if that hiring leads to the selection of Delane, that only makes this decision even better.

Keep a close eye on Delane throughout the draft process as he just became one of the most likely picks for the Cowboys in Round 1.