Will McClay, in his 21st season working in the Cowboys Personnel Department, was named the club's assistant director of player personnel in 2013 and senior director of pro/college scouting in 2015. He was named Vice President Player Personnel in 2017, and he will continue to oversee the club's NFL Draft process and play a key role in free agent and trade acquisitions.

Will McClay, in his 21st season working in the Cowboys Personnel Department, was named the club's assistant director of player personnel in 2013 and senior director of pro/college scouting in 2015. He was named Vice President Player Personnel in 2017, and he will continue to oversee the club's NFL Draft process and play a key role in free agent and trade acquisitions.

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, as the first round pick out of Tulsa possesses the traits and talent to make a huge impact on the offensive line for years to come. The rest of the draft class followed a trend in recent years, with six of the nine picks having participated in the 2022 Reese's Senior Bowl, giving Dallas 24 draft picks with senior bowl ties since 2014. McClay's unifying presence at the top of the scouting department in recent years has led to tremendous success, with this new crop of young talent adding to a pipeline of an NFL-leading 16 Pro Bowl draft picks since 2010.

McClay was tasked with rebuilding the defensive side of the ball in 2021, working with new 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, forming a strong nucleus of young talent for the future.

Entering the 2021 NFL Draft, McClay and the Cowboys had a unique challenge to undertake, building a roster while balancing a record-setting contract for quarterback Dak Prescott, which led to the Cowboys selecting 11 players - second-most all-time 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 has happened in team history. The draft class, headlined by Parsons, consisted of 10 Power Five conference players and three 2021 Reese's 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, leaving scouting departments and front offices short on key information used to make player evaluations. 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. They followed that selection with Neville Gallimore and Reggie Robinson before trading up for Tyler Biadasz as a potential replacement for their retiring All-Pro Badger center. Dallas closed out their draft with Bradlee Anae and then Ben Dinucci, just the seventh quarterback drafted by Dallas since 1989.

The Cowboys were without a first round pick in 2019 after trading for Amari Cooper during the 2018 season, and after a strong free agency period, Dallas stayed true to their draft board. Trysten Hill was a player Dallas targeted during the pre-draft process and added him with their second round choice (the club's first pick). They then picked Conner McGovern in the third round, a player who showed position flex on the offensive line. Dallas added some explosive traits to the backfield in Tony Pollard, and picked up two defenders in the secondary with Mike Jackson and Donovan Wilson. Sandwiched between Jackson and Wilson was Joe Jackson. Dallas closed out the draft with two seventh round picks in Jalen Jelks and Mike Weber.

In 2018 the Cowboys broke a three-year trend of drafting heavily on defense, using six-of-nine picks on offensive players. Dallas drafted Leighton Vander Esch with its first pick, and then spent its next selections on Connor Williams and Michael Gallup. The Cowboys bolstered their pass rush with Dorance Armstrong and then selected tight end Dalton Schultz with their two fourth round picks. For just the sixth time since 1989, Dallas selected a quarterback with the pick of Mike White in the fifth round, and then added linebacker in Chris Covington before closing with two more offensive weapons in Cedrick Wilson and Bo Scarbrough.

The club concentrated on defense in the 2017 NFL Draft, selecting defensive players with seven-of-nine picks. With the 28th overall pick, Taco Charlton was selected. Defensive backs Chidobe Awuzie (second round) and Jourdan Lewis (third) were added with the next two selections. The team then drafted defense with four of its remaining six picks.

In working to improve the club through the 2016 NFL Draft, McClay helped bolster the offensive side of the ball as the club selected Ezekiel Elliott with the fourth overall pick. The club added to the defense, with Jaylon Smith (second round), Maliek Collins (third round) and Charles Tapper (fourth round). The Cowboys then drafted a quarterback for just the fifth time since 1989 when they selected Dak Prescott with their second fourth round pick. Dallas closed out the draft with four sixth round picks, first selecting Anthony Brown, then Kavon Frazier and Darius Jackson. With their final pick, the Cowboys added tight end Rico Gathers.

In his second NFL Draft (2015), McClay helped Dallas continue its youth movement by securing two first round talents with one first round pick - Byron Jones (27th overall) and Randy Gregory (second round). The club also secured a projected first rounder in La'el Collins as a rookie free agent. The third round saw Dallas add Chaz Green, before focusing on defense with three of the last five picks.

McClay oversaw his first NFL Draft in 2014 as the club continued to infuse the roster with talented building blocks for the present and future. With their first pick, the Cowboys drafted Notre Dame All-American Zack Martin (16th overall), marking the third time in four years the club selected an offensive lineman in the first round - Tyron Smith (2011) and Travis Frederick (2013). In the second round, the Cowboys moved up to select DeMarcus Lawrence (34th overall) - one of the top pass rushers in the draft. Without a third round pick, the Cowboys took Anthony Hitchens in the fourth round. Dallas nabbed Devin Street in the fifth round, then added five defensive players with its five seventh round selections.

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. Two of those signings were Laurent Robinson - who signed early in the 2011 season and ledthe team with 11 receiving touchdowns - and George Selvie in 2013, who signed during training camp and started all 16 games at defensive end, tying for the most tackles for loss (seven) and logged the second-most sacks on the team (7.0).

McClay helped uncover a pair of starters with the free agency signing of Jeremy Mincey, who led the club with 6.0 sacks and 39 pressures in 2014, and Rolando McClain, who was acquired in a trade with Baltimore. McClain stepped in to finish second on the team with a career-best 108 tackles, starting in place of Sean Lee (IR-knee) for the entire 2014 season. In 2015 he was instrumental in acquiring Brice Butler after the injury to Dez Bryant, and 2016 saw free agent Benson Mayowa lead the team with 6.0 sacks.

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. The Rage finished 8-2 before falling in the first round of the playoffs.

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.