Brian Schottenheimer's latest coaching hire could help Cowboys avoid NFL Draft disaster

Brian Schottenheimer is getting settled in to his new role as head coach of the Dallas Cowboys, and his first coaching staff is quickly coming into focus. A few days ago, the team tapped former Arizona Cardinals offensive line coach Klayton Adams as its new offensive coordinator, a move that seemed to reinforce Dallas' commitment to building from the line out (and maybe also its commitment to using a first-round pick on Ashton Jeanty). Another major domino fell on Friday, when the Cowboys announced the hiring of former Kansas State assistant Conor Riley as its new offensive line coach.

Riley seems like a pretty outstanding hire on the merits. A member of Chris Klieman's staff that helped build an FCS dynasty at North Dakota State, Riley then followed Klieman to Manhattan, where he helped build Kansas State into a ground-and-pound powerhouse — first as offensive line coach and then, after Collin Klein moved on to Texas A&M, as the team's offensive coordinator. Wherever he's been in his coaching career, great running games have followed.

But even beyond his impressive resume, hiring Riley might come with an added benefit for Dallas — one that could save it from disaster during the 2025 NFL Draft.

New Cowboys offensive line coach Conor Riley could steer Dallas toward the steal of the draft — and away from Ashton Jeanty

The Cowboys have been linked to Jeanty in the draft since long before the 2024 season even ended, when it became clear that the team's once-formidable running game had evaporated — that maybe Jerry Jones had goofed by ignoring stars like Derrick Henry and Saquon Barkley in free agency. And to be clear, Jeanty is an awesome player who will almost certainly help whichever NFL team he lands on this spring.

But Dallas taking him at No. 12 never made much sense. This team simply has too many holes at too many spots on its roster to afford that kind of resource allocation, even for a star like Jeanty. Addressing the offensive and defensive lines, then adding a back on Day 2 or 3, would be a far better strategy, allowing the Cowboys to follow the blueprint that lead them to their most recent run of competitiveness — i.e., in the trenches.

Riley is a big step in the right direction on that front, and not only because of his coaching acumen. He also comes to Dallas with a connection to another draft-eligible running back: former Kansas State star DJ Giddens, who rushed for a combined 2,569 yards over the last two seasons under Riley's (and Klein's) tutelage. Giddens isn't the home-run threat Jeanty is, and he won't be drafted nearly as high this spring. But he's still a heck of a player, one who could work wonders behind a more functional offensive line. If Riley wants to be reunited with his former back, he would make a ton of sense for Dallas later in the draft, while allowing the team to address more important needs first.