When it comes to excellence in the college-to-NFL coaching pipeline, Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart sits right alongside Nick Saban. Smart already has two former assistants serving as NFL head coaches, with several others holding assistant roles across the league. Now, the word around the sport is that another top-tier coach from Smart’s staff could soon head to a $13 billion NFL franchise.

Assuming the interview process goes smoothly. On February 2, the NFL insider Todd Archer revealed the news that $13 billion NFL Dallas Cowboys empire is ready to sit with Kirby Smart’s trusted soldiers today:

“The Cowboys are scheduled to have an in-person interview with Georgia outside linebackers coach Chidera Uzo-Diribe on Tuesday for a spot on Christian Parker’s staff, per source. He was an assistant at SMU, TCU before going to Georgia in 2022. Cowboys’ thorough search continues,” Todd tweeted on X.

Uzo-Diribe has a pretty cool history of stepping into big shoes. Back in 2022, he was the guy Kirby Smart picked to replace Dan Lanning, who left to lead the Oregon Ducks.

At just 33 years old, he’s already known as a “rising star” for his work with outside linebackers at Georgia. Under his watch, the Bulldogs turned out three first-round NFL draft picks in Nolan Smith (2023), Mykel Williams (2025), and Jalon Walker (2025). Safe to say, he knows how to develop elite talent.

If they hire him, it most likely means the Cowboys are looking to switch to a 3-4 defense. Very different from their previous setup. The Cowboys will fill the vacant position as early as possible, and the new DC, Christian Parker, isn’t wasting any time. He just hired Marcus Dixon on Monday to coach the defensive line. They’ve already officially signed Derrick Ansley to lead the passing game defense and Ryan Smith to handle the secondary.

Georgia would really miss him, especially since he’s such a star on the recruiting trail. He’s famous for bringing in an impressive 2025 class of ‘edge’ position players, including Isaiah Gibson, who was the #1-ranked edge rusher in the country. He also secured commitments from other top-100 players like Darren Ikinnagbon and Chase Linton during the same cycle.

Before that, he proved he could win titanic battles by signing five-star Damon Wilson II and Samuel M’Pemba. But for Uzo-Diribe, a jump to the NFL with a franchise as big as the Cowboys is a career-defining opportunity. Clarity should come soon on whether he’s bound for Big D or committed to continuing the build of Georgia’s ‘Dawg’ defense in Athens.

However, if he heads to Dallas, Kirby Smart might have to appoint for the most prestigious assistant gig (excluding coordinators) in college football.

Potential replacement for Kirby Smart

Kirby Smart will probably look for a replacement who is both a technician and a closer on the recruiting trail. Smart has a history of keeping things in the family, promoting top-tier analysts who are already in Athens. A great example is Phil Rauscher, who was just promoted to offensive line coach after Stacy Searels stepped into an analyst role.

An internal option could be a rising staffer like Dorian Gerald. Promoting from within would be the smoothest move to keep Georgia’s elite 2026 recruiting class.

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If Smart looks outside the program, he will probably pursue a young, high-energy recruiter like Uzo-Diribe at the time of his hire. Names that often pop up in these circles include C.J. Ah You. He has already worked with the Cowboys’ new DC, Christian Parker.

Regardless of the name, the job is one of the best in the country. The new coach will take over a room loaded with former five-stars and lead a pass rush expected to be the best in the SEC, if not all of college football.