Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: Jaishawn Barham is the Hidden Gem of the 2026 NFL Draft

Starting point is 00:00:00 Michigan defensive end, J. Sean Barham is one of my absolute favorite players in the 2026 NFL draft. Let's get to it. You are Locked on Colts, your daily Indianapolis Colts podcast, part of the Locked On Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome to Locked on Colts, part of the Lockdown Podcast Network. My name is Zach Hicks, and we are here with yet another prospect spotlight here for the channel. Today I'm diving into one of my favorite players in the entire draft, and that is edge rusher J. Sean Barham from Michigan, 6'3, 240 pounds with over 34-inch arms. The unique aspect of his game is that he spent pretty much his entire college career playing off-ball linebacker. He started his career at Maryland before transferring up to Michigan to close out his career.

Starting point is 00:00:59 was an off-ball linebacker all the way up until, I think, like, week two or week three of this past season before finally making that change to Edge Rusher. And while there are still some raw aspects of his game, some newness to him playing that position, I think the projection is just so good for him at Edge Rusher. And I think he's one of my favorite fits for the Indianapolis Colts in this draft. So diving into his overall profile, though, when it comes to his testing, again, 6-3-240, tested well above the 70th percentile in the broad jump, the 40-yard dash and the 10-yard split. It's a very explosive player that fires out the football very well. Stats-wise, this past year, it wasn't like out of this world. More so the advanced stats are a little bit better for him, but he had 10 tackles for a loss in four sacks in his first full year at edge rusher.

Starting point is 00:01:49 And like I mentioned, fewer than 500 career edge snaps across his entire career, almost exclusively an off-ball linebacker for most of his college career. But when you look at the film, when you look at what this guy was doing last year at Michigan, there's just so much to like. I mean, when it comes to him being a pass rush, I still think he's figuring out a lot of what he wants to do and how he can win. But there are some really good flashes of bend, of explosion off the football, of the ability to soften edges and create optimal angles for himself

Starting point is 00:02:20 when he's attacking off at the edge. And on top of that, I think he has really, really great contact balance. When I say contact balance, you know, when we talk about these players bending around the corner and bending around the outside against offensive tackles, that ability to play through contact and the offensive tackle is leaning on your inside shoulder or even targeting your outside shoulder, can you still bend through that contact? And I think we've seen that with Colts past rushers in the past that have struggled

Starting point is 00:02:44 as speed rushers, guys like Ben Banagou and Kamoko Ture, lacking that overall power to keep that bend through contact and almost being reliant on offensive tackles missing them with their hands. When it comes to a player like Barham, you know, he's not as bendy as those two players, but he's so physical and explosive through contact that he can maintain his balance while those offensive tackles are targeting them and getting hit their hands on him. So he can continue that bend around the outside while their hands are on him with fluidity, with explosion, with speed off the edge. So again, four sacks last year is nothing to write home. about 10 tackles for a loss is pretty good, but it's not, you know, everyone's looking for that

Starting point is 00:03:25 big pass rusher in this draft. But I think everything there, everything is there from the potential. I mean, his pass rush win rate was really good. His pressure rate was really good last year for Michigan. So I think there are a lot of underlying factors that project well to being a top pass rusher in the NFL. It's just about him getting more experience again with only 500 career snaps at edge rusher in his career at this point. When it comes to him as a run defender, though, I think he's absolutely incredible. I mean, outside of Zy, on Young. I think he's one of the better run defending edge rushers in this draft class. We mentioned the good length. Despite being a little bit undersized with only the 240 pounds,

Starting point is 00:04:02 I think he's got a good anchor in the run game. I think he's powerful in the run game. One of the best in this class at the backside pursuit and just understanding like, hey, a split zone run is coming to my side. The split zone, like the tight end is coming to chop block me on the backside of the play, knowing how to play through that contact and still tracking down the running back. Even on plays where it's like an outside zone or a wide zone run away from him, he showcases that ability to get vertical, get past line of scrimmage, level down the line of scrimmage and chase down the running back from the backside. I think he's got just incredible pursuit and hustle. There's good power

Starting point is 00:04:36 to stand up offensive linemen at the point of attack, and he just finds the football at an exceptionally high level. He's got a good knack for it. His offball skills certainly show when he's playing at edge. So it's kind of rare when you're moving an inside linebacker to edge rusher that they're going to be this sturdy and stout run defender. But with Jashon Barham, I think when you look at this film, like the run defense is very far long. I think he's a very good run defender. And I think he can start and give you base down snaps early on. And I think there's a lot of potential there as a pass rusher. So when it comes to like a pro comp form, you know, I think that there's numerous guys with this kind of archetyte that really pop out. Dante High Tower back when he played for

Starting point is 00:05:15 the New England Patriots a while back, Kyle Van Nuoy is obviously a common name that we throw on. on players like this, but also Jalen Walker last year who went to Atlanta and had a really good rookie season with them. I think all of those players make some sense. It's comps with just the physicality and that hybrid level of play. So I'm high on Jayshon Barham. I think he's been a bit of a late riser in this draft class, but I don't know if anyone's as high as me. I think I would push for him being a top five to seven edge rusher in this draft because I feel so good about the floor and the flashes of the ceiling are very, very good as well. But coming up, going to talk about where the Colts would have to take him if they were to acquire him

Starting point is 00:05:55 in this draft class and how he fits with Lou Anurumo's style of defense, the blitz heavy, some man coverage style of defense. How does Jashon Barham fit with what Lou Anuramo wants to do? But first, the NHL playoffs are here where every shift matters, every moment is intense and the pressure is at its highest. And just like performance matters on the ice, it matters off the ice as well. That's where Ruggiet comes in. Ruggiet offers treatments designed to help you get ready and stay ready when it matters. Their top option, Rougiet ready, combines clinically proven ingredients in a simple mint that dissolves under your tongue.

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Starting point is 00:07:57 this obviously. There's only a few of these left before the NFL NFL draft. Sorry, I'm saying NHL from a few minutes ago. NFL draft here in just about a week. We're talking about Jayshan Barham, the edge rusher from Michigan. And yeah, he's been on the rise lately. If we looked at this like a like a month ago or so, probably could have got him in like round four, round five. That's where a lot of the projections were coming for him. But honestly, I think it's probably more realistic to take him in round three at this point. I think the buzz has really climbed, and I think there are some teams, you know, some teams out there that are pretty high on him.

Starting point is 00:08:33 And yeah, I'd be very happy taking him in round three. I think that he's an excellent project to take in that round. Again, I think you get a starting caliber edge that can grow to be so much more. I'm taking that in round three every day of the week. Honestly, and this is my hot take, I'd be fine with him at 47. Like, I ideally want to move back a little bit in a round two and take him, just so you can accumulate more picks. But if the necessity was there,

Starting point is 00:08:59 if you had to take him at 47 to secure him, I wouldn't hate that. I mean, I see really good potential with him, and I think I can play him on day one. And I think that's a very hard thing to find with an edge rusher. So, yeah, I'd be very comfortable taking him in round two at some point, but especially in round three. And God forbid, if he's there in round four,

Starting point is 00:09:18 I'd absolutely take him there too. But yeah, J. Sean Barham, as I mentioned, a player I'm extremely high on compared to the consensus. When it comes to how he fits with the Indianapolis Colts, though, I think he's got the ability to drop into coverage, which is something that I've been looking at. When it comes to edge rushers in this draft, you know, Luana Rumo has traditionally like bigger edge rushers,

Starting point is 00:09:37 but we've seen like last year, for instance, Lahto had over 10% of his snaps coming coverage. We've seen them take looks at guys like Romelo Hyatt and even Arden Key, who they signed in pre-agency, a player who has that ability to drop into coverage as well. So I'm starting to come around on them going for more of like a hybrid type guy, guys that have the ability to not only defend the run on early downs, but they can even drop into coverage and be like hybrid type linebackers. Oh, yeah, Jayshan Barr, I'm a former inside linebacker makes a ton of sense what the Colts are looking for. In terms of the early down,

Starting point is 00:10:08 run down upside, again, just that ability to crash from the backside, the ability to take on blockers. I think it's all there. It's not Zion Young level from Missouri, but it's, you know, it's pretty darn solid for a guy who was playing offball most of his career. And then when it comes to rushing the passer, I think there's some good use. usage on stunts and twist. I think you can mug him over the eight gap on some third downs and get some interesting looks from him. And then you're kind of betting on that potential as a pass rusher.

Starting point is 00:10:33 It's not that he's not going to give you anything as a pass rusher in year one, because I do think, again, he's got some fluidity. He's got some contact balance that project fairly well when it comes to these things. But you're mostly betting on what he can be with more seasoning, with more time at edge rusher because he spent so little of his career at that position, you're betting on what he can be down the line, which is basically what the draft is outside of round one. So let's say you get him in round three, right? You're getting a guy who you can feel pretty good about getting him out there on early

Starting point is 00:11:03 downs next year. You can get him involved in the third down rushing game by getting him mugging over agabs. You can even rush him from wide nine stances, use him on these stunts and twists that the Colts used quite a bit last year. Like steadily develop him behind the scenes as a guy who has that explosion, that length, has that ability to be a good edge rusher in the NFL and flashes everything you're looking for. So I'm very comfortable betting on this player in this draft. Jaysham Barham out of

Starting point is 00:11:34 Michigan, one of my favorite players. And I think he would be a phenomenal fit for what the Indianapolis culture are looking for in what Louana Ruma wants in this defense. But that is all we have for today's prospect spotlight. Make sure you tune into the regular show later this afternoon with me and Jake Arthur talking more about the 2026 NFL draft. And thanks again. for tuning in to Locked on Colts. We back yet again later, again, for the regular show. So make sure you subscribe to our show. So you get all the latest episodes.

Starting point is 00:12:00 And if you don't already, make sure you follow at Lockdown Colts at Jake Arthur and Phelm at Zach Hicks to all on social media. Don't forget to check out the Everyday Air Club as well for ad free episodes and access to a group chat with me, Jake and other listeners to the show. Tap the link in the show notes or go to Lockdowncults.com. And again, we'll catch you guys back here later this afternoon for the full everyday show.

Locked On Colts - Daily Podcast On The Indianapolis Colts - PROSPECT SPOTLIGHT: Jaishawn Barham is the Hidden Gem of the 2026 NFL Draft

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