They Cowboys have some material to work with at linebacker.
Just a wee bit before the second hour of Round 2, the Cowboys traded their own fifth-round draft choice to San Francisco for Dee Winters, the linebacker having started in 27 of his 32 games played for the Niners over the past two years. There you go, Winters immediatelybecoming one potential starting inside linebacker, along with a finally healthy Overshown in this his third offseason since drafted in the third round of 2023.
Then back to the draft on Day 2, in the third round with the draft choice acquired from the Niners in the Osa Odighizuwa pre-draft trade, the Cowboys couldn’t call into NFL Draft central fast enough to claim Michigan linebacker/defensive end Jaishawn Barham, eliciting dancing in the war room.
Linebacker Bingo No. 2, the Cowboys wasting little time tagging Barham as initially an inside linebacker candidate, Cowboys vice president of player personnel Will McClay saying, “I think he’s been on our radar all season.”
Now let me tell you what, wait until you see this guy Jaishawn. He’s an imposing target,enough so to attract the lowest of flying radar.
They list BAR-ham at 6-3, a quite solid 240, running a 4.6 time in the 40 at that size. Several scouting reports had given him four out of five stars, seemingly a third-round gem. One report claims he has “violent hands at the point of attack.” Last Thursday when Barham arrived here at The Star for the ensuing three-day rookie minicamp over the weekend, that was the first day knowingly laid eyes on him. He also comes with a “violent stare” along with those destructive hands. Seriously.
Jaishawn Barham has Cowboys fans excited.
It may have struck some as odd when the Cowboys followed up the Lawrence pick by taking another EDGE, Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham, with its next pick in the third round. With Rashan Gary and Donovan Ezeiruaku already penciled in as starters, plus the addition of Lawrence, would there really be enough snaps to go around?
But it turns out that Barham’s future may not lie on the edge at all. At rookie minicamp this week, head coach Brian Schottenheimer told reporters that the team planned on giving Barham a ton of work at inside linebacker — a position at which Barham began his college career back at Maryland, before spending most of his time edge rusher last season with the Wolverines.
“I feel like my ability to run, run sideline to sideline, be able to hit, take on blocks, get off blocks, being able to cover tight ends, running backs, whatever. I feel like I’m a football player,” Barham told the Cowboys’ official website. “So whether it’s d-end or linebacker, I play football, so I can do it.”
At 6-foot-3.5 and 240 pounds, Barham has the size to play either role at the NFL level. And he certainly has the athleticism, with downright freaky fluidity that helps him get to the quarterback and shed blockers. But while he was primarily billed as an edge rusher during this draft cycle, he might just be the perfect answer to the biggest remaining question on this Cowboys defense.
Caleb Downs, S, Dallas Cowboys
Drafted: Round 1, No. 11
Why he fits: Cowboys defensive coordinator Christian Parker, who coached the secondary in Philly last season, can play Downs at safety in base packages. He has the play speed and high-level instincts to impact the game from depth or when running the alleys.
Downs can also star in the Cooper DeJean role — as a big safety — when the Cowboys are in a nickel defense. Downs can create disruption near the line of scrimmage, match in coverage and find the ball in zone. Downs had 22 run stops at or behind the line of scrimmage in three collegiate seasons, and I believe his on-the-ball production will elevate in the pros.
Daily Discussion Question: What was the point of the offseason where you found yourself believing a little?
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