Jacob Rodriguez Gushes Over Christian Parker, Cowboys Staff Ahead Of NFL Draft

Leading up to the 2026 NFL Draft, the Dallas Cowboys have met with many of the top defensive prospects in this year's class. One player the team has become familiar with is Texas Tech superstar linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, and it appears they made a strong impression.

Rodriguez and the Cowboys met at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis at the beginning of the draft process, and the team also attended his Pro Day in Lubbock.

On Thursday night, Rodriguez was at The Star in Frisco to receive the 2026 Jason Witten Collegiate Man of the Year Award, which is presented by the Cowboys legend for the FBS player "who best demonstrates an outstanding record of leadership by exhibiting exceptional courage, integrity, and sportsmanship."

After receiving the award, Rodriguez spoke to the media, and because he was at the Cowboys' facility, he was naturally asked about his relationship with the team leading up to the draft. Rodriguez had nothing but high praise for his interactions with the team, especially defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

Jacob Rodriguez Could Be Perfect Fit For Cowboys At No. 20

Texas Tech LB Jacob Rodriguez speaks HIGHLY of Christian Parker, the Cowboys, and their coaching staff. #NFLDraft | #DallasCowboys pic.twitter.com/3qXINHpUHR
— DLLS Cowboys (@DLLS_Cowboys) April 17, 2026

The Cowboys spent the early wave of free agency investing on improving the secondary, after fielding the worst pass defense in the league a season ago. But while the defensive backfield has improved on paper, the team ignored the linebacker position.

Luckily for Dallas, Rodriguez could be a perfect player for the Cowboys and the coaching staff, which has said it is looking for "culture-changing" first-rounders. Rodriguez was just honored for his high character, and he has already admitted that he can "mesh" with the staff.

"I was fortunate enough to have a visit with them at the combine, a formal interview with them. And I had a great time. I really loved [Christian Parker] and everything that we were talking about in that room. And then as the process has gone along, they actually got to come out to Lubbock for our Pro Day," Rodriguez told the media. "So we got to sit down and have dinner with them, and I think the biggest thing is they're just great people.

"I believe that they're great coaches, and CP and the rest of our defensive staff are going to do a lot of great things this year. And they have a lot of good people to be around. But I think the biggest thing was they're great people, and they're really cool to be around... we got to mesh really well."

Jacob Rodriguez Brings Much-Needed Playmaking Ability

Texas Tech's Jacob Rodriguez celebrates his rushing touchdowns with teammates | Nathan Giese/Avalanche-Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rodriguez had a record-setting 2025 campaign as one of the top defensive playmakers in college football. He even added a rushing touchdown for good measure.

During his final college season, Rodriguez recorded a career-high 128 total tackles, 11 tackles for a loss, seven forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, one sack, and one touchdown. His seven forced fumbles set an NCAA record for most forced fumbles in a season.

The Cowboys defense needs to improve in several areas, and creating turnovers is one of the biggest. Rodriguez knows he has a knack for being around the ball and getting the ball back for the offense, which sets him up to be the perfect pick at No. 20 if he is still available.

Texas Tech Red Raiders linebacker Jacob Rodriguez celebrates with the Big 12 Championship trophy | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

"I think I take the football away at a high level, and I think that's what you want as a defensive player is you're always trying to go for the ball. And the biggest part was you have great teammates who are able to play. You can play free that way," Rodriguez said.

"Everybody's running to the football, and when you have guys who are willing to strain as hard as they can to go pick the ball up or go get to the quarterback to where I can be in position to make a play when the ball's thrown, all that stuff really helps. But I think that's kind of what was able to set me apart this past year was my ability to take the ball away."

It's going to be interesting to see how the draft plays out, but the Rodriguez-Dallas connection is going to be something to watch. If the right cards fall into place, it could turn out to be a perfect match.

The 2026 NFL Draft will be held from Thursday, April 23, through Saturday, April 25, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

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