Ryan Smith enters his first season as the Dallas Cowboys secondary coach after spending the previous three years coaching the cornerbacks for the Arizona Cardinals. Smith will focus heavily on the safeties, including free agent signee Jalen Thompson, who he previously coached during his tenure in Arizona.

Ryan Smith enters his first season as the Dallas Cowboys secondary coach after spending the previous three years coaching the cornerbacks for the Arizona Cardinals. Smith will focus heavily on the safeties, including free agent signee Jalen Thompson, who he previously coached during his tenure in Arizona.

In 2025 Smith helped rookie cornerbacks Will Johnson and Denzel Burke. Johnson, who started 10-of-12 games played and had 37 tackles, 10 pass breakups, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble, was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. Burke posted 47 tackles and led the team in both interceptions (three) and pass breakups (11), joining Xavier Watts (five interceptions) as one of only two NFL rookies with at least three interceptions in 2025.

In 2024 Arizona's defense was one of the best in the NFL in the second half of the season. The Cardinals allowed 19.6 points-per-game over the last 11 games, good for fourth in the NFL during that span. They also allowed the fewest total touchdowns (20) and passing touchdowns (10) in the final 11 contests. Smith guided second-year cornerback Garrett Williams to PFF's second-team All-Pro team.

During Smith's first seasonin Arizona, veteran corner Antonio Hamilton achieved a career-high 36 tackles, a team-leading 11 pass breakups and his first NFL interception.

Prior to Arizona, Smith coached cornerbacks at Northwestern. He worked with Cam Mitchell, who was a 2023 fifth round pick of the Cleveland Browns.

Smith spent two seasons at Virginia Tech, where he was the cornerbacks coach in 2020 and added the title of defensive pass game coordinator in 2021. In 2020 he guided Dorian Strong to Freshman All-America honors and worked with future first round pick Caleb Farley. In 2021 he helped Jermaine Walker to a second-team All-ACC selection after leading the conference with four interceptions.

Before Virginia Tech, Smith coached safeties and was a pro scout liaison at James Madison in 2019, helping the Dukes reach the FCS National Championship Game. James Madison led FCS in total defense (264.7 ypg) and ranked third in scoring defense (14.9 ppg). The Dukes also tied for seventh in the FCS with 17 interceptions, 11 of which came from Smith's safeties. Under his tutelage, safeties Adam Smith and D'Angelo Amos both earned first-team all-conference honors.

Prior to James Madison, Smith spent a two-year stint (2017-18) at Elon as secondary coach. He coached defensive back Greg Liggs to second-team All-Conference honors in 2018.

Smith started his coaching career as a defensive graduate assistant at UTSA in 2014 before heading to Penn State to serve in the same role for two seasons (2015-16). While at Penn State, Smith worked with five future NFL defensive backs: Marcus Allen, Troy Apke, Amani Oruwariye, Trevor Williams and Jordan Lucas. Smith was part of the Nittany Lions team that won the 2016 Big Ten Championship and played in the Rose Bowl.

Smith played cornerback at William & Mary (2010-13), earning back-to-back CAA Academic All-Conference selections while helping the Tribe to the 2009 FCS semifinals.

A native of King George, Va., Smith earned his bachelor's degree in Process Management from William & Mary in 2014 and received his master's degree in Educational Leadership from Penn State.

He and his wife, Kristina, have two daughters, Leila Michele and Soleil.