Who is Jaishawn Barham? Five things to know about the new Cowboys linebacker

The Dallas Cowboys continued their defensive rebuild on Day 2 of the 2026 NFL draft.

In the third round, Dallas selected linebacker Jaishawn Barham. The Michigan product is a versatile player who could give the Cowboys some big plays as an off-the-ball linebacker and edge rusher.

Here are five things to know about Barham:

1. The basics

Name: Jaishawn Barham

Position: Linebacker

Height: 6-3 Weight: 240 pounds

College: Michigan

Hometown: District Heights, Maryland

2. Where will he line up?

Barham was officially listed as an edge rusher when he declared for the NFL draft. That doesn't necessarily mean he'll play there for the Cowboys. Along with his edge rushing play, he's previously lined up as an off-ball linebacker.

Shortly after the Cowboys selected Barham, Brian Schottenheimer said the player would line up at inside linebacker in Dallas. How could he look in Christian Parker's defense? Look at Eagles star Zack Baun for reference.

3. He transferred to Michigan after spending time at another Big Ten program

Barham wasn't at Michigan to start his collegiate career. He first played at Maryland, where he posted 95 total tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, seven sacks and one interception in two years.

He transferred to Michigan ahead of the 2024 season. Barham was the ninth-ranked linebacker in that year's transfer portal.

4. He's the latest Michigan player drafted by the Cowboys

The Cowboys have a history of drafting Michigan players, particularly on the defensive side. Here's a look at Dallas' recent Michigan draft picks:

2023: DT Mazi Smith, TE Luke Schoonmaker

2017: DE Taco Charlton, CB Jourdan Lewis

5. He had a wild moment against Ohio State in 2025

Barham had a wild moment when  Michigan faced Ohio State last year. With Ohio State driving downfield, the defender was called for a penalty after he headbutted a referee. He wasn't ejected from the game, but the penalty placed Ohio State's offense on the 2-yard line. Michigan still held Ohio State to a field goal.

Here's a look at the play:

Jaishawn Barham just head butted the ref and was not ejected 😳 pic.twitter.com/PVvhlRuFhX— Underdog (@Underdog) November 29, 2025