Michigan football's Jaishawn Barham taken by Cowboys on Day 2 of NFL Draft
· Yahoo Sports
Another Michigan football defensive standout is off the board.
Jaishawn Barham, a linebacker turned edge rusher, was selected by the Dallas Cowboys with the No. 92 overall pick in the third round on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft.
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Barham left Ann Arbor after two years with the program, after spending two seasons at Maryland.
Barham moved from outside linebacker to edge rusher in the middle of the 2025 season after the Wolverines needed to improve their pass rush and it appears a likely fit for his future. Barham, who took 375 defensive snaps last season, was on the line for 304 and in the box for 56, according to Pro Football focus. While he was also credited with 15 at slot corner, it's most likely when he was lined up in a wide-9 technique.
“(He plays with) short, quick steps, somewhat dip under blocks. He can, again, dominate tight ends – I don't think they're allowed to get blocked by tight ends at Michigan," NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah said on a conference call with reporters in February. "He can really close the backside, and they kind of use him as a joker and kind of move him around and let him blitz. Just a lot of twitch and plays really, really hard.”
The year prior, Barham lined up 476 times in the box and 72 on the line, marking a notable shift. As a senior, Barham played in 12 games (11 starts) and made 32 tackles, including 10 for loss with four sacks, one forced fumble and three pass breakups.
Barham had mixed results during his tenure in Ann Arbor, at times showing is freakish athleticism but all too frequently going quiet for extended periods of time and at some points not fitting in the greater picture of the defense but freelancing too much.
Still, it's hard not to be tantalized by his high-upside and what many believe is untapped potential.
Counting Derrick Moore, this now makes seven Michigan defensive linemen drafted in the past three NFL drafts.
Tony Garcia is the Michigan beat writer for the Detroit Free Press. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X at @RealTonyGarcia.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan football EDGE Jaishawn Barham drafted by Cowboys in Round 3