NFL Teams Will Regret Letting Jaishawn Barham Fall To Cowboys In 2026 Draft

The Dallas Cowboys had one of the most impressive hauls in the 2026 NFL Draft, loading up on defensive talent and making multiple first-round trades to land their top targets.

After selecting Ohio State do-it-all safety Caleb Downs and UCF star pass rusher Malachi Lawrence in the first round, the Cowboys did not have another pick until the third round on Day 2. With that pick, No. 92 overall, Dallas landed Michigan Wolverines linebacker Jaishawn Barham.

No one is denying the talent that Downs and Lawrence bring to the table, but the pick of Barham may prove to be the biggest steal of the draft and one that teams around the league will regret for years to come.

Matt Miller of ESPN shared his list of top picks in the draft, with Barham ranking as the 30th best pick last weekend. Dallas' No. 92 overall pick came courtesy of the Osa Odighizuwa trade with the San Francisco 49ers earlier in the offseason.

Jaishawn Barham Poised For Stardom Under Christian Parker

Michigan linebacker Jaishawn Barham tackles New Mexico quarterback Jack Layne | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Cowboys are expected to utilize Barham as an off-ball linebacker during his rookie year, allowing him to use his physicality and aggression all over the field in Parker's versatile scheme.

Barham has experience in a pro system, which Miller believes will allow him to excel in Dallas.

"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," Miller wrote. "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."

While Miller notes Barham's success at edge, he began his career as a linebacker and exceled for three years. That's why the Cowboys plan to start Barham as an inside linebacker, but his versatility will allow him to fill a hybrid role, which is exactly what the team was looking for.

The more we learn about the Cowboys' 2026 rookie class, the more exciting the outlook is for the future. We'll get our first look at the newest Cowboys taking the field in rookie minicamp, which begins on Friday, May 1.

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