Cowboys player named top 30 pick, Round 3 steal by ESPN
The name of the game for the Dallas Cowboys in the 2026 NFL Draft was defense, and they specifically nailed it in the first three rounds. After taking safety Caleb Downs and edge Malachi Lawrence in round one, the Cowboys selected linebacker/edge Jaishawn Barham out of Michigan in round three after not having a second-round pick.
Dallas could have tried to finagle a second-rounder with one of the fourth-round picks they got from the Philadelphia Eagles when they moved back to No. 23 from No. 20 and took Lawrence. However, they stayed and got Barham, and Matt Miller of ESPN loves that they did. He ranks Barham as the 30th best pick of the entire draft.
Good luck dealing with the Cowboys when they get into nickel defense with Downs in the box and Barham coming off the edge. A former linebacker at Michigan, he made the move to edge rusher in 2025 and was fantastic. Playing in a pro-level scheme under former NFL defensive coordinator Wink Martindale, Barham thrived after making the position change in Week 3, with 10 tackles for loss and four sacks. Getting Barham in Round 2 would have been a hit, but drafting him at the back end of Round 3 is a steal.
Barham had a productive year at Michigan in 2025. He racked up 32 tackles, a career-high 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble. On tape, you can see his ability to explode off the line of scrimmage while using his athleticism, and he’s great at chasing plays from the backside.
That’s as an edge, but Barham spent his first three years playing linebacker so he already has experience reading and diagnosing plays quickly, and he fills gaps well when he’s going downhill. He’s a violent tackler who shows off his physicality and quickness when navigating the mess to find the ball carrier.
He’ll start as an inside linebacker in Dallas, but it’s likely he’ll play a hybrid role so they can also use him as an edge rusher in certain formations.
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