While the Dallas Cowboys' first two first-round draft picks have generated hype all offseason, it’s their third-round selection that has maintained a steadier drumbeat of buzz through camp. Linebacker Jaishawn Barham out of Michigan is a physical specimen at 6’2”, 240 lbs. And in his first preseason game, he stole the show.
Barham had five total tackles in his first taste of NFL action against the Arizona Cardinals. Three of them were elite run stops, and in one, he also got credit for a loss in the backfield.
Cowboys LB/EDGE Jaishawn Barham (EDGE3-Tier 1/Bluechip) had an 89.9 PFF grade with 3 run stops, 5 tackles, and 1 TFL in his preseason debut. Barham 1 of 3 FBS EDGE/LB prospects in the past decade with a pressure rate > 25.00%, a win rate in true pass sets > 27.50%, and a run stop… pic.twitter.com/z1hix6Fvpx
— Adam Carter (@impactfbdata) August 23, 2026
Jaishawn Barham could be Dallas’ biggest draft steal
What’s interesting about Barham is that he wasn’t the most elite player in college at Michigan and Maryland. He was solid, but with 12 career sacks and 119 solo tackles in four years, it’s understandable why he fell to the third round.
But ever since Barham arrived at the Cowboys’ facility, coaches and journalists can’t stop raving about him. He’s got a large upper frame and plays with a ton of intensity. He’s the type of talent many would’ve believed went in the first round.
That being said, Dallas might have gotten away with a steal.
Barham was one of three FBS players to come out of college in the past decade with a pressure rate of at least 25%, a win rate in pass sets of at least 27.5%, and a run-stop rate of 10%. The only other two players who had those underlying metrics were Micah Parsons and Abdul Carter.
It goes to show that sometimes one needs to look beyond the common defensive counting stats to find true NFL talent coming out of college. Barham still has a lot to prove, but so far he’s stolen all of the buzz from camp and looks like he’ll be a key contributor for the defense.
After the preseason game, Barham received an 89.9 PFF grade.
It’ll be interesting to see if Von Miller gets his hands on Barham and gives him some pointers for rushing the passer. The future Hall of Famer joined the Cowboys last week and has already made an impression as both a player and a teammate. Miller was also spotted during the Cardinals game giving pass-rushing advice to rookie Malachi Lawrence.
Barham is a player who goes 110 percent on play, and if he can keep that going, there's definitely a place for him to play in tons of minutes.
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