Jaishawn Barham making strong impression in first camp with Michigan

Kalel Mullings knows what it takes to be a good linebacker. He started his college career as one, after all. 

Now playing on the other side of the ball, the graduate running back gets to look at the No. 9 Michigan football team’s linebackers from a different perspective. Going up against them instead of playing with them, he’s noticed plenty of good things about the newest member of the Wolverines’ linebackers room, transfer junior Jaishawn Barham. 

“He comes with his stuff for sure,” Mullings said of Barham Tuesday. “You’ve gotta strap and buckle your helmet every single time, every single time you’re going after (him). … If you don’t come correct with him, man, you’ll end up on your ass.”

Michigan’s offense hasn’t only had to deal with Barham in practice though. The Wolverines faced him last November while he was in his final season with Maryland. Barham wreaked havoc against his future team, racking up seven tackles and picking off his first career pass as Michigan narrowly escaped Barham’s home state with a win. 

Barham’s performance that day turned out to be a nice audition for his next team, but it was just another strong game for the Terrapins in his long list of them. He started every game he played in, notching 96 tackles and seven sacks across his two seasons in College Park. Those showings earned him a spot on the Freshman All-America team in 2021 and two All-Big Ten honorable mentions, generating plenty of noise when he elected to transfer to Michigan in December. 

Since coming to Ann Arbor, the buzz about Barham’s reputation has only grown louder — even though he himself is quiet. He has been compared to a brick wall, been called a physical specimen and has established his likely starting spot even among a talented linebacker room. 

“In all honesty, I feel like a lot of DMV dudes are quieter,” Mullings said. “… Maybe it’s just a DMV thing, I don’t know, but Jaishawn’s a pretty quiet guy. Shoot, you’ll hear when he hits you though.”

Mullings has been on the receiving end of some of those hits in camp thus far, so he knows firsthand just how hard they can be. While junior wide receiver Tyler Morris hasn’t had the privilege of going up against Barham directly, he shared similar praise for Barham’s size and speed, citing how hard he’s heard it is to block Barham. 

And while Barham’s traits have given the Wolverines fits in camp and in the past, they’re helping Michigan improve, too. 

“Just all throughout camp, I’ve been using that as an opportunity to prepare myself and sharpen myself,” Mullings said. “Because shoot, if I can block this dude, I can block anyone in the country, you know what I mean?”

Mullings may not spend every day with the linebackers anymore, but he still knows what it takes to successfully play the position at the collegiate level. If his comments — and the comments of Barham’s other teammates and coaches during fall camp — are any indication, then Barham has those necessary traits, and plenty more.

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