INDIANAPOLIS — As the 2026 NFL Combine rolls along, the Dallas Cowboys' task list is daunting, particularly in trying to rebuild the defensive roster for incoming defensive coordinator Christian Parker; and that’s something the team’s scouting department, and new-look defensive staff, are hard at work on in Indy.
Several of Parker’s position coaches spoke candidly about it and plenty of other topics in-between meetings at the combine, and both Derrick Ansley and Ryan Smith, in particular, dropped some gems about the direction of the defense in 2026 and beyond.
Hired to take the mantle of defensive pass game coordinator/defensive backs coach and secondary coach, respectively, Ansley and Smith are both very familiar with Parker, each having a longstanding personal relationship with the former Philadelphia Eagles' pass game coordinator.
One example of that being how Parker and Smith attended rival high schools in Virginia, both playing defensive back, before both later pledged the same fraternity (Kappa Alpha Psi); and now they're together in North Texas.
Hoping to parlay that into swift and extended success for the Cowboys, their first order of business, or at least one of them, is to acclimate to what Dallas needs and to interview draft prospects in the process.
The rubber is quickly meeting the road for all involved.
Ryan Smith
On reuniting with Christian Parker in Dallas:
"It's a blessing to be here in Dallas working with him. The belief that he has, and what the Philly defense showed on tape with him, everyone he's been, the brand and style of ball they've played shows up and pops on film. I know the style of defense that he plays, and I've always wanted to be a part of it. And when the opportunity came, it was a no-brainer for me."
On his coaching philosophy:
"My coaching philosophy, and I've molded it as I've gone along — No. 1 is trust, and getting the players to trust me, trust how I'm gonna coach them and develop that relationship. No. 2 is passion, and being passionate about my work to show up on a daily basis and show those guys how to get better. And the third thing is the drive to work hard, and to push those guys to achieve things that they couldn't achieve on their own."
On his teaching style and the origin of it:
"I have a business degree from William Mary and then I got my masters at Penn State in educational leadership. I was a [graduate assistant] at Penn State but, while I did that, I was taking master's classes at night. I was with future superintendents, principals and people who are in higher education, so I learned different strategies and different techniques in a classroom setting to get guys locked in and retaining information."
On providing an example of that unique coaching style:
"When I was at Northwestern, you're dealing with the smartest student-athletes you could ever imagine. They're Ivy League-caliber student-athletes. You have to go into that meeting room prepared and ready to teach. I felt like a professor. Call me Professor Smith, the way I attacked that meeting room preparation and got guys to really buy in, and you've gotta be creative. You can't just click on the film. It's like a lesson plan."
On what needs to change about the Cowboys' defense:
"There's plays that were out there that were left on the table, but I think that all 11 [players] fitting into the scheme that CP is going to instill with our guys, the 3-4 structure, being able to get to nickel and four-down structures in different situations, I think it fits the guys we have. They'll be able to play fast, play instinctive and use their traits to put themselves into good positions. You'll see a different product."
Derrick Ansley
On the hiring process and getting the call from Parker and Schottenheimer:
"Man, it's been awesome. It's been, what, two-plus weeks now? We've hit the ground running. The interview process was amazing — very thorough. We're talking respect. Schotty was very diligent in the interview process. … Getting a chance to work with Christian has really been a dream come true. We've known each other for 10-plus years now, and we're both secondary coaches by nature, so we talk ball and see things the same way. Excited to help him get this thing off the ground."
On why Parker built his defensive staff the way he did:
"It was very strategic of who he hired in the secondary to be the braintrust. I think Christian has always had a couple guys on his radar, and if he ever got his shot — I think you see the product of that with myself and Ryan, and with Robert Muschamp. It's been really good to get guys that see the game the way you see it, coach for the right reasons and a heart for the players. That's our only goal: to come in and help our players be the best they can be and, in the same step, try to help Christian be the best he can be and win championships."
On being from the Nick Saban coaching tree:
"Some of the core values [I learned from Saban] of playing man-to-man the right way, tackling the right way, communicating and some of the daily drills we did back then, we still do now. The core values of being physical, tackling and having size at the position were some of the [biggest things] I've taken with me."
On assessing DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel:
"I've known Bland. I've been in the league now his whole career and evaluated him when he came out [of Fresno State]. Same thing with Shavon [Revel]. When I was at my last job [with the Packers], we brought him on a visit. We've known about him as well. His college coach is actually the guy that I've known for a while."
On how to get players to buy in completely:
"I just look forward to pouring into those guys — getting to know the man first, tapping into that layer and what makes them tick, their goals and aspirations. Laying all of that out and then developing the football player, because I believe if you touch the man and get to know him as a person, I think the football will come along at a good pace."
On his coaching style and philosophy for developing players:
"The first thing is, words matter. How you deliver words, how much information you give a player, how much can they digest, are they ready to digest those things they're giving you? You have to touch different players in different ways; whether that be a meeting aspect, a walkthrough setting … different people learn different ways. Learn the learner, and then tap into the best way he learns and effectively give him that information, in that way."
