Blogging The Boys
The Cowboys will need a pass rush by committee approach this season, and rookie Jaishawn Barham could fit into that very well.
Christian Parker has a defender, much like Downs, who he can move around the defensive front seven. Barham can play just about every position from linebacker to the defensive line.
We don’t have to watch Dallas force this guy into a job. If Christian Parker is as advertised, he will find a way to put this young man in a position to succeed. Or find the position that Barham can cause the most havoc and keep using him there.
Jaishawn Barham Gives Dallas Options
I would hate to see the Cowboys line Jaishawn Barham up at inside linebacker every snap and just call it good.
He can do much more than that.
At Michigan, Jaishawn Barham handled linebacker duties while also succeeding near the line. He has the size to fight through traffic and enough burst to make a quarterback nervous.
I would keep him inside against a running team and let him get downhill. He could even spy a mobile quarterback, and on passing downs, walk him up to the line and make the offense decide if he’s coming or not.
I want to see that kind of uncertainty from this defense.
LT Overton was a great pick to help the Cowboys continue adding size to the defensive line.
Background
Years in NFL: 0
Acquired by: 2026 4th-round pickOverton is no stranger to change. He spent 2022-2023 at Texas A&M before transferring to Alabama, where he’s started the last two years at edge. He posted career highs as a senior with 26 solo tackles, six tackles for loss, and four sacks. Overton just missed playing college ball with fellow Cowboys rookie Caleb Downs, who left the Crimson Tide for Ohio State in the same offseason that Overton left the Aggies.
Despite the extra recognition from playing at Alabama, Overton only had middling appeal in the 2026 draft class. He was too big and not athletic enough for the modern NFL pass rusher, looking more like a run stopper. There was pre-draft talk that he might fare best by bulking up and moving inside, and that’s exactly what the Cowboys saw in Overton when they use a late fourth-round pick to select him.
2026 Projections
Role: Backup DT
Roster Chance: 95%That said, we expect Overton to at least get a season. The Cowboys took him with a clear plan to move him inside. While he may not be a traditional 3-4 defensive end, Overton does fit the modern build of athletic 3-tech tackles....
