Jaishawn Barham has already forced his way into the conversation in Dallas, and now ESPN’s Louis Riddick has taken it a step further by tying the Cowboys rookie to one of the franchise’s linebacker standards.
Barham, a third-round pick, flashed immediately with an 89.9 Pro Football Focus grade and stood out in run defense with a noticeable burst against the Arizona Cardinals. He wasn’t just a body in the rotation; he looked like a player who’s going to be on the field a lot.
That’s the kind of start that caught Riddick’s attention on Get Up. While he acknowledged the Cowboys hit with the Caleb Downs pick, Riddick said Barham might end up being the most consequential addition in the class. He even put Barham ahead of Downs.
"(Barham) to me, outside of Caleb, maybe even more so than Caleb, may be the consequential draft pick that they made this year. This guy could be the best linebacker they have had there since Sean Lee back in the early 2010s."
That’s a big name to invoke, and it opens the door to the obvious question: could Barham really become Dallas’ best linebacker since Sean Lee?
It’s early, and there’s a long way to go, but the traits are there for a real run at that kind of status. Barham plays with relentless effort and brings a 110 percent mentality every snap. In the NFL, that kind of edge buys you opportunities.
The comparison to Lee starts with the frame. Both linebackers are in the 240-245 pound range, and Barham is about an inch taller.
Lee made his name as a coverage linebacker and a run stopper, and he announced himself early with a rookie-game breakout against the Colts, when he grabbed two interceptions. He also showed his athleticism by taking one back for a pick-six.
Lee remains one of the Cowboys’ most accomplished and underrated legends, even if injuries began to wear him down as his career went on. He finished with 802 tackles, 14 interceptions, 59 tackles for loss and four sacks.
Barham still has work to do before he gets anywhere near that level, especially in coverage. His footwork isn’t at the same place Lee’s was as a rookie.
But that doesn’t mean the ceiling isn’t real. If Barham leans into what he already does best, he can become a dominant, efficient run defender.
And Dallas may not be waiting on one linebacker to carry the whole load anyway. DeMarvion Overshown has already said he can be the best linebacker in the game, giving the Cowboys another possible answer at the position.
So while the Sean Lee comparison is still more projection than proof, Riddick’s excitement isn’t coming out of nowhere. Barham has already started climbing in the rookie pecking order, and it wouldn’t be a stretch to say he’s trending ahead of Downs right now.
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