Instant Analysis: Scouting reports on new Cowboys EDGE Jaishawn Barham

Yahoo Sports3h ago16 min readOriginal source →

TL;DR

The Cowboys selected edge rusher Jaishawn Barham with the 92nd pick in the draft after trading for linebacker Dee Winters. This move reduces their 2026 draft picks to six, emphasizing the importance of each selection.

Key points

Cowboys selected Jaishawn Barham with the 92nd pick
Team traded for linebacker Dee Winters
Cowboys' 2026 draft haul reduced to six players
Importance of each pick emphasized
Barham is an edge rusher from Michigan

Dallas CowboysJaishawn BarhamDee WintersNFL Draft

Instant Analysis: Scouting reports on new Cowboys EDGE Jaishawn Barham

The Cowboys had a long wait on Friday night before they finally got another turn at the plate. After picking twice in the first 23 selections during the draft's first round, they wouldn't turn in another card until Round 3 was nearly over.

They did pull off a trade for 49ers linebacker Dee Winters and gave up their fifth-round choice to do it, but that move brings the team's 2026 draft haul down to just six players overall. No room for error; each and every pick needs to turn into a solid contributor.

With the 92nd pick in the draft, the Cowboys have taken Michigan edge rusher Jaishawn Barham.

The Maryland native began his college career with the in-state Terrapins but transferred after his sophomore season. After one season with the Wolverines, he was ranked one of the top linebackers in the country and then moved to edge rusher as a senior in Wink Martindale's system.

He posted elite speed grades at the combine and showed good explosiveness, coming away with an impressive Relative Athletic Score of 8.83 despite being somewhat undersized. The Cowboys did host Barham on a 30 visit, so defensive coordinator Christian Parker has a good idea of what he's getting.

Here's a sampling from various draft profiles about what Barham brings to the Cowboys.

Dane Brugler, The Athletic

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There is a difference between being versatile and a tweener, and Barham is more of the latter, as he lacks the instincts to play off-ball or the size to be an every-down edge. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t a role for him at the next level. He wins with speed, physicality and body twitch, although he tends to play in overdrive and often finds himself out of control.

Barham must improve his discipline and refinement to stay on the field, but he can create disruption based just on his explosiveness and high activity level. He will need a patient coaching staff ready to cultivate his athletic upside.