The NFL Draft offers hope for all 32 teams. It's easy to let that optimism cloud your judgment, but the Dallas Cowboys earned every bit of the praise they've received.
Caleb Downs being available for Dallas felt like a miracle. While his selection is driving much of the praise, the Cowboys didn't stop there; they put on a drafting clinic across all three days.
Perhaps the biggest wild card of the class is third-round pick Jaishawn Barham, a hybrid defender capable of playing off-ball linebacker and flying off the edge as a pass rusher.
Barham has a big supporter in FanSided draft aficionado Levi Dombro, who believes the former Michigan star has a bright future.
"Barham is arguably the best run defender among the defensive ends in this year's draft class. Although his production doesn't scream 'early-round pick,' Barham gives teams a lot to be excited about.
He already has an ideal frame and possesses great strength and bend, and Barham can even drop back into coverage effectively. He can get a bit out of control, but Barham is rising up draft boards late in the process for a reason."
The Dallas Cowboys may have drafted a future star in Jaishawn Barham
It's early, but there's a real sense that Barham could become a star. Similar to Caleb Downs' ability to play all three safety positions, Barham's versatility is a match made in heaven for Parker, who wants to keep offenses off-balance by offering different looks.
An inside linebacker for most of his college career, which began at Maryland, Barham played almost exclusively at edge rusher last season, logging 304 snaps on the defensive line compared to 56 in the box, per Pro Football Focus. That came after he had 476 snaps at LB to just 72 on the edge in 2024.
Barham is still learning to play with leverage off the edge, but he showed a lot of promise for a first-time pass rusher, registering 4.0 sacks, 21 pressures, tying for the team lead with nine quarterback hits, and a 13.1 percent pass rush win rate.
Brian Schottenheimer has already said that Barham will start at inside linebacker. That's probably his easiest path to playing time, as the Cowboys drafted Central Florida pass rusher Malachi Lawrence at pick No. 23, adding to an edge room that already had Donovan Ezeiruaku and Rashan Gary.
It became obvious with the Barham pick that Dallas wanted to add physicality in the draft. Barham embodies that mindset with his downhill style and willingness to embrace contact.
Linebackers live in traffic. They'll get blocked out of plays at the second level if they're not physical (see Kenneth Murray). Barham's versatility is one thing, but his physicality and ability to defend the run will allow Parker to lean into disguising fronts and sending pressure.
The Cowboys may have embarrassed the league with this pick.
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