A well-known NFL scout is apparently on board with a current Michigan defender making a position change in the future.
On Saturday, Rival’s contributor Trevor McCue suggested that Michigan should find a way to get linebacker Jaishawn Barham to return for his senior season and move him from linebacker to edge rusher.
Jim Nagy, an 18-year NFL scouting veteran and former U-M alum, agrees.
The 6-3, 248 pound transfer from Maryland is having a fairly productive junior season in Ann Arbor. Through eight games, Barham is No. 2 on the team in total tackles with 46. But given his size, speed, power and athleticism, it feels like Barham could be making a far bigger impact if he made the position switch.
Heading into the season, head coach Sherrone Moore offered a pretty strong endorsement of his junior linebacker.
“He is a physical specimen in all types of ways,” Moore said. “Not just the way he is, and he’s super quiet, and that’s what kind of makes him a little bit more mysterious and scary, is that he is… he’s the only guy that Max Bredeson said, ‘That’s the hardest hit I’ve ever been hit.’ And Max Bredeson likes to hit. But Max said that dude it’s like a wall. And this guy is physical; he’s strong, he’s fast, he can play in coverage, he can play on the edge, he can play in the middle, he just brings everything, and he’s just, he’s such a great kid, such a great human being. … He’s unbelievable. He’s an unbelievable player, unbelievable teammate, and he’s just been such a strength for us.”
Co-sign.
— Jim Nagy (@JimNagy_SB) October 27, 2024
Offensive line coach Grant Newsome echoed the same sentiments, going as far as to say that Barham was the most physically-gifted second level player he’s seen at Michigan.
“I’m excited to see him rush somebody else,” said Newsome. “He’s unbelievable. I can confidently say he’s probably the most physically-gifted second level player we’ve had here in my time. Probably the closest was Devin, but he’s bigger than Devin by a good bit. I don’t want to overstate it, but he’s really, really good. He’s unbelievable. Which has been an awesome challenge for our guys.”
With veteran edge rusher Josaiah Stewart playing his final year of college football this season, there’s no question that there will be an opportunity for someone to emerge as a starter at the edge position during the off-season. If he decides to return for his senior season, don’t be surprised if Barham is squarely in the mix for that role in 2025.
