If you watched the Dallas Cowboys' preseason victory over the Arizona Cardinals, one thing quickly became abundantly clear: this defense found a steal in rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham, who shined in his NFL debut after missing the preseason opener due to a groin injury.
You wouldn't even know he was injured, as the third-rounder didn't skip a beat in the 34-13 win. It took him just two snaps to record his first TFL, and he was snuffing out plays before they happened all night. He logged five tackles in just 18 snaps and was consistently flying across the field.
Cowboys fans have been aware all offseason that they may have found a gem, but it sounds like the rest of the NFL world is finding out, too. On an episode of ESPN's Get Up, Louis Riddick fanned the flames of the Barham hype train.
"We've talked about Caleb Downs all the time when we're talking about who's gonna be the focal point of this revamped defense," Riddick said. "Remember the name Jaishawn Barham, their draft pick from Michigan.
He, to me, outside of Caleb... maybe even moreso than Caleb, may be the most consequential draft pick they made this year. He could be the best linebacker they've had there since Sean Lee back in the early 2000s."
Dallas Cowboys' rookie Jaishawn Barham is finally getting national recognition
Louis Riddick took the excitement surrounding Jaishawn Barham and elevated it to another level. He said he thinks the 22-year-old could be the best linebacker to play for Dallas since Sean Lee, and that was a long time ago. That's the kind of buzz Barham is generating in DFW.
Barham played off the edge in his final season at Michigan, but Christian Parker drafted him with the intent to move him to linebacker.
He was always best as a run stopper, and his versatility is starting to make it feel like the Cowboys found their own version of Arvell Reese 87 picks later. They're already reaping the benefits of a player with sky-high upside.
One endorsement would be enough to make the world take notice of a budding star, but Riddick wasn't the only one giving the new Cowboy his flowers.
Former NFL analyst Brian Baldinger, now with NFL Network, featured him on Baldy's Breakdowns, saying that Dallas found a "dawg" in him, mentioning he's so quick that linemen don't know what's coming.
This was his NFL debut, mind you. The fact that Barham was attacking the line of scrimmage this effectively isn't something you find every day. And as he continues to develop and get more comfortable in this defensive system in camp, he's going to become even more dangerous.
Caleb Downs wasn't the only rookie building serious momentum this summer. While Jaishawn Barham entered camp under most fans' radar, an explosive debut and high-profile praise have put him on a fast track to becoming a household name.
Let's take this one step at a time, though.
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