Jaishawn Barham was the 92nd pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, taking his talents from Ann Arbor and the Michigan Wolverines to Dallas (or, more accurately, Arlington) and the Cowboys.
Barham was a beast for the Wolverines, racking up 32 total tackles, four sacks, four pass deflections, and one forced fumble during his final season at Michigan.
Throughout his senior season, he lined up at linebacker in four games, more frequently playing the edge rusher role. Dallas head coach Brian Schottenheimer wants to switch that up.
According to Sleeper HQ's Dallas Cowboys page, Schottenheimer wants Barham to line up at inside linebacker to start, reverting the now-former Wolverine to the position that he played less often throughout his collegiate career.
Brian Schottenheimer wants Jaishawn Barham playing ILB, not EDGE
When Barham was coming out of high school, the Maryland Terrapins (his first collegiate team) recruited him as a true four-star edge rusher, playing the edge linebacker role throughout his varsity career.
Then, the Wolverines recruited him out of the transfer portal with the expectation that he would continue that role, focusing on racking up sacks.
Over his two seasons at Michigan, he did just that, earning 98 total tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss for 64 yards, and five sacks for 43 yards.
Now, he is reportedly set to play the inside linebacker role, a more centralized role. Inside linebackers play just off the line of scrimmage and primarily play in the middle of the defensive unit, focusing on stopping the run.
Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer said that third-round pick Jaishawn Barham will begin at inside linebacker. pic.twitter.com/USDjbrAnMw
— SleeperCowboys (@SleeperCowboys) April 25, 2026
Edge linebackers play, well, on the edge of the defensive unit that is right off the line of scrimmage, and focus almost entirely on getting to the quarterback.
Also read: Tracking where Michigan football players signed as 2026 undrafted free agents
At the end of the day, it isn't a huge change, but it is clear that the Cowboys drafted Barham with this change already in mind.
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