Will McClay, in his 24th season with the Cowboys Personnel Department, was named the club's Vice President of Player Personnel in 2017. McClay is instrumental in overseeing the club's NFL Draft process and plays a key role in free agent and trade acquisitions.

Will McClay, in his 24th season with the Cowboys Personnel Department, was named the club's Vice President of Player Personnel in 2017. McClay is instrumental in overseeing the club's NFL Draft process and plays a key role in free agent and trade acquisitions.

McClay began to oversee the Cowboys draft process in 2014, and since that time the team has selected 15 players that have gone on to make at least one Pro Bowl - the most in the NFL over that span - including foundational pieces in Zack Martin (nine Pro Bowls), CeeDee Lamb (four), Micah Parsons (four), Dak Prescott (three) and Tyler Smith (two). Under his guidance, Dallas has also been able to mine the late rounds of the draft to find hidden gems, including fifth round pick DaRon Bland, who earned first-team All-Pro and a Pro Bowl nod after setting the NFL record with five pick-sixes in 2023, and undrafted kicker Brandon Aubrey, who is the first kicker in NFL history to reach the Pro Bowl in each of his first two seasons and set the NFL record for most 50-yard makes in a season with 14.

The Cowboys continued to build up the trenches throughout the 2024 Draft, with their first three selections all going towards offensive and defensive line. Tyler Guyton was drafted in the first round to help supplant longtime stalwart Tyron Smith at left tackle, and Guyton started 11-of-15 games in his rookie campaign. Dallas added another rookie contributor along the offensive front in the third roundwith Cooper Beebe, who started 16 games at center to make Dallas one-of-four teams to have multiple rookies start at least 10 games on the offensive line in 2024. The Cowboys added contributors on the defensive side of the ball in Marshawn Kneeland, Marist Lifau and Caelen Carson, all of whom played significant roles as rookies and provide a solid foundation for the future.

With an emphasis on physicality entering the 2023 Draft, Dallas selected defensive tackle Mazi Smith as its first-of-seven players in the class. Smith and second round tight end Luke Schoonmaker played in all 17 games as rookies, both contributing in the run game on both sides of the ball. Smith finished with 15 tackles, two tackles for loss and a sack in his first year, and Schoonmaker added eight catches with two touchdowns - becoming the fifth Cowboy to score a touchdown on his first career catch. Injuries and veteran additions prevented the later round selections from making an immediate impact, with the five remaining picks of the class playing a combined 14 games in 2023, with much larger roles expected in the future.

The 2022 draft was largely about rebuilding the trenches on offense and defense, with six-of-nine draft picks coming on the offensive line or front seven of the defense. Offensive lineman Tyler Smith headlined the draft class, starting all 17 games in his rookie season - 16 at left tackle and one at left guard - to become the first Cowboys rookie to start at left tackle in a season-opener. The class was also highlighted by second round pick Sam Williams, who played in 15 games and recorded 4.0 sacks with a team-leading seven tackles for loss, and fifth-round pick DaRon Bland, who started eight-of-17 games and led the team with five interceptions - the first rookie to lead the Cowboys in picks since Derek Ross and Roy Williams in 2002 - while playing both nickel and outside corner. Overall, the 2022 draft class generated 89 games played with 39 starts and 4,902 total snaps, the sixth-most snaps among rookies in the NFL.

McClay was tasked with rebuilding the defensive side of the ball in 2021, working with Defensive Coordinator Dan Quinn to add players that fit an updated vision of the Cowboys defense. Dallas lost eight players to other teams in free agency but also added eight players - the most signings by the Cowboys in any year of free agency since its inception in 1994 - including five defensive players. Dallas also saw immediate dividends from its draft class, with Micah Parsons setting a franchise rookie record with 13.0 sacks, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year and first-team All-Pro honors in the process. Dallas' rookie draft picks played in a total of 112 games with 32 starts in 2021.

Entering the 2021 NFL Draft, McClay and the Cowboys undertook a unique challenge, building a roster while balancing a record-setting contract for Prescott, which led to the Cowboys selecting 11 players - second-most since the NFL moved to a seven round draft. The 11 selections also included eight defensive players, and all of the Cowboys first six selections were on defense - the first time that occurred in team history. The draft class, headlined by Parsons, consisted of 10 Power Five players and three Senior Bowl participants.

The Cowboys entered unfamiliar territory in 2020, undergoing a regime change at head coach for the first time since 2010, as Dallas hired Mike McCarthy as the ninth head coach in team history. As a result, Dallas saw a significant amount of change on both the coaching staff and player roster, with six starters defecting to other teams in free agency and the retirement of Travis Frederick. Under normal circumstances, the task of upgrading the roster in an offseason with such change would be difficult, but in 2020, the threat of COVID-19 halted all free agent visits and altered the NFL Draft evaluation period. McClay and the front office tackled the task head on, signing free agents who had combined to make 631 starts and earn 14 Pro Bowls.

In the 2020 Draft, Dallas was patient and calculating, jumping on the opportunity to add perhaps the top wide receiver prospect in CeeDee Lamb when he unexpectedly fell to the Cowboys at pick 17. The Cowboys then bolstered their defense, nabbing an athletic and ascending cornerback from Alabama in Trevon Diggs in Round 2.

In his earlier role as director of football research (2011-13), McClay evaluated players on NFL rosters and in other leagues, scouting Dallas' opponents using advanced scouting and analytic methods and overseeing the scouting department's technology tools.

McClay was a pro scout (2002-08), then pro scouting coordinator (2009-10), and he was responsible for sifting through free agents and locating some of the team's most notable signings before and during the season.

McClay originally came to Dallas as the defensive coordinator for the Dallas Desperados (2002-03) of the Arena Football League. He was the club's head coach for five seasons (2004-08), helping lead them to a league-best 15-1 record and consecutive Eastern Division Championships (2007-08). In his five seasons as head coach, he led the Desperados to a 54-24-1 record and was named AFL Coach of the Year in 2006.

Before joining the Cowboys and Desperados, McClay was the assistant director of pro scouting for the Jacksonville Jaguars. In his only season (2001) with the Jaguars, he scouted NFL teams in the preseason and did advance scouting work during the season. Before joining Jacksonville, he was the player personnel director of the XFL's Orlando Rage, as well as a consultant and scout, in the spring of 2001.

Prior to moving into the personnel side of professional football, McClay spent 11 seasons in the AFL as a player and coach. He served as defensive coordinator and director of player personnel for the Grand Rapids Rampage in 1998. He added the title of assistant head coach in 1999, when the Rampage improved to an 8-6 record after going 3-11 the previous season. In 1997 he was the defensive coordinator and director of player personnel for the Anaheim Piranhas after serving as the defensive coordinator for the Milwaukee Mustangs in 1995 and the Florida Bobcats in 1996.

McClay was the secondary and special teams coach of the Detroit Drive in 1993, helping the team reach the ArenaBowl. From 1989-92 he was a wide receiver/defensive back for the Drive, helping lead them to three ArenaBowl titles in four appearances.

McClay was a four-year letterman and captain as a defensive back at Rice University (1985-88), starting every game of his collegiate career. He graduated in 1990 with a degree in political science. McClay has one son, Gabriel.