Jan. 17, 2026, 12:52 p.m. CT
The Dallas Cowboys promised to cast a wide net in their search for a new defensive coordinator, and they are living up to their word. In their first round of interviews, Dallas met with Zach Orr, Christian Parker, Daronte Jones, Jim Leonhard, Aaron Whitecotton, DeMarcus Covington, Charlie Bullen, Ephraim Banda, and Jonathan Gannon. Only one of them is over 45, and only Gannon has head-coaching experience. No defensive coordinator in Dallas since 2013 has been under 50, but the average age of these nine candidates is just 40 years old.
Some similarities among these coaches include specialization in coverage and defensive back development. The Cowboys likely see their strength in the front and want their new defensive coordinator to raise the play of their defensive backs and overall coverage. This hire could be crucial to who Dallas brings in to fill out the roster, not just in free agency but in the draft.
Here are some of the top candidates and how their hiring could impact who the Cowboys select in the 2026 draft.
Christian Parker :: Clemson CB Aveion Terrell
The Philadelphia Eagles disguised their coverages at the seventh-highest rate in the league, running zone on 70% of their defensive snaps. Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio likes smart players who can move and cover, and isn’t one to rely on metrics like arm length, height, or weight to be things that cancel a prospect out.
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If they can play, he will find a place for them on the field. If his top understudy Christian Parker feels the same, that opens up cornerbacks who may not have made it onto the Cowboys’ radar over the last decade.
One such name is Clemson’s Avieon Terrell, who excelled in zone coverage while with the Tigers. Brother of former first-round pick, A.J. Terrell, Avieon Terrell is a natural with the athleticism and vision to be a playmaker at the NFL level.
Head coach Brian Schottenheimer mentioned turnovers as a key to what he wants on defense, and Terrell is a master at punching the ball loose with what’s known as a “peanut punch.” Parker just developed Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean into All-Pro players in their second year, and Terrell could be another great prospect for him to develop. His being under six feet tall and only 180 pounds would typically eliminate him from the Cowboys’ draft plans, but if Parker can convince them to change their minds, Terrell could be a perfect fit.
Jim Leonhard :: Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman
If Jim Leonhard, Denver’s passing game coordinator is the hire, he’s going to need a weapon who can move through different areas of the defense from play to play and successfully navigate any area he is asked to play in.
The Denver Broncos had the second-highest man coverage percentage in the NFL in 2025, and they played a nearly identical amount of middle open and middle closed defenses. This means the safeties have to play single-high and split-safety interchangeably. Safeties in his system must be versatile across all coverage schemes for it to be successful. Patrick Surtain II and Riley Moss might be the best cornerback duo in the league. Still, the Broncos went and signed safety Talanoa Hufanga from the San Francisco 49ers for his do-it-all ability as a safety. Dallas could survive at the corner if DaRon Bland and Shavon Revel Jr. are healthy and at the top of their game, but an improvement at safety could be necessary.
Enter Dillon Thieneman, safety out of Oregon. He is a “first in, last out” prospect who sets an example for how to film study. He is challenging to fool with offensive eye candy or QB manipulation. He doesn’t just rely on smarts; Thieneman has excellent athleticism at over 200 pounds and tackles like a heat-seeking missile. Dallas could look to Thieneman as that guy in Leonhard’s system.
Daronte Jones :: Arizona State DB Keith Abney II
The Vikings, under Brian Flores, ran zone coverages on 77% of their defensive snaps and played middle closed coverage at the lowest rate in the league, 10% below the next-lowest team in 2025. This means they avoided a single deep safety covering the middle of the field. The Vikings stayed in two-deep safety defenses like Cover 2, Cover 4, and Cover 0, which leave the middle of the field open for deep attacks. His cornerbacks must be great in zone coverage. If Minnesota’s passing game coordinator Daronte Jones is in this same vein, Arizona State’s Keith Abney would be of high interest.
Abney II might be the best zone coverage corner in the draft, with the size to play outside, but the mentality of a slot guy. He knows how to watch the quarterback’s eyes and react quickly to make plays on the ball. He stays in the hip pocket of his receiver and uses his surroundings as a second defender. Abney II understands route concepts and runs them like a receiver himself.
He will bait quarterbacks into throws he can make plays on and attack the catch point if he doesn’t get to the ball first. He will play the run better than some linebackers, making him a perfect match for the slot position in a defense that loves to blitz. A zone corner who wants to play the run is what Daronte Jones should be looking for in the draft, and Abney II is a match there.
You can find Mike Crum on Twitter @cdpiglet or on YouTube at Across the Cowboys podcast