‘Darling of Training Camp’: Dallas Cowboys Rookie Jaishawn Barham Drawing Raves In Oxnard

OXNARD, Calif. — Rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham has been the “darling of training camp thus far” for the Dallas Cowboys, former Cowboys wide receiver Jesse Holley said on Monday’s episode of the DLLS Dallas Cowboys Podcast, taped in Oxnard, California, ahead of the team’s first padded practice of the summer.

Barham was the third player Dallas took in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the two selections in front of him both came in the first round. The Cowboys landed him at No. 92 overall using a third-round pick acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the offseason trade that sent defensive tackle Osa Odighizuwa to San Francisco. Barham signed on May 1 and wears No. 55.

“[Jaishawn Barham] has been the darling of training camp thus far,” Holley said. “And he has been intense. He doesn’t smile. He don’t wanna talk. … We think of Jaishawn as the physical part of it, but he’s made plays in the passing game. He’s made plays going downhill. He would’ve blown up a play on blue — [Tyler Booker] got confused, and he came flying through. He made a deflected pass in the passing game. So, this is not a guy who’s just about the downhill physicality. He has been making plays all over the football field so far in training camp.”

Jaishawn Barham’s Approach in Oxnard

Dallas held its first camp practice in Oxnard on July 29. By Saturday, Barham had drawn a group of young fans to the fence line, and Joseph Hoyt of the Dallas Morning News documented what happened next.

“Cowboys rookie linebacker Jaishawn Barham walked off the practice fields on Saturday when a group of young fans called his name,” Hoyt wrote. “Without hesitation, Barham changed direction and signed autographs for every single one of them. If you didn’t know Barham, you’d think — after starring in just his third NFL practice — that he might have time for some questions about his quick rise on the Cowboys’ depth chart, as well.

“Instead, Barham gave a polite fist bump to this Dallas Morning News reporter and responded succinctly to a request for an interview: ‘No.'”

Cowboys running back Javonte Williams has been in Oxnard since camp opened, a year after he ran 252 times for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns and signed a three-year, $24 million extension in February.

“No, I haven’t,” Williams said of ever seeing Barham smile, per the Dallas Morning News. “That’s crazy.

“He’s a cool person. I’ve just never seen him smile.”

What Jaishawn Barham Did at Michigan

Barham spent four seasons in college, two at Maryland and two at Michigan. He arrived in Ann Arbor through the transfer portal in December 2023.

As a senior in 2025, Barham appeared in 12 games with 11 starts, 7 of them at edge and 4 at linebacker. He finished with 32 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 3 pass breakups, and 1 forced fumble. Michigan’s coaches and the media both named him honorable mention All-Big Ten.

The year before that, he started all 13 games as an off-ball linebacker and finished second on the Wolverines with 66 tackles. He was a Freshman All-American at Maryland in 2022.

Dallas Cowboys’ Defense-Heavy 2026 Draft Class

Dallas used its first two picks on defense before getting to Barham. Ohio State safety Caleb Downs went No. 11 overall after a trade up with the Miami Dolphins. UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence went No. 23 overall on a pick acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles. Five of the seven players Dallas drafted play defense.

Barham was listed as an edge rusher when he declared. Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said shortly after the selection that Barham would line up at inside linebacker in Dallas, per Yahoo Sports.

Dallas practices in Oxnard through Aug. 13 and opens the preseason on Aug. 15 at the Seattle Seahawks, with kickoff set for 7 p.m. CT at Lumen Field. The regular season starts Sept. 13 at the New York Giants at 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC.