The Michigan football team is set to enter the 2024 season with a defense that features a notable presence of returning star players. Additionally, the team has managed to acquire some impressive new talent.
Pro Football Focus recently released its rankings of the top 10 returning college football linebackers for 2024. While Michigan will be losing Junior Colson and Michael Barrett, who combined for 333 tackles and 16.5 tackles for loss over the past two seasons, they have gained a significant addition in transfer player Jaishawn Barham from Maryland. Barham secured the fifth spot on PFF’s list.
Barham made an impact as a true freshman in 2022, earning an impressive 83.1 PFF coverage grade, which ranked him fifth among Power Five linebackers. He concluded the season as the seventh-most valuable linebacker in the nation based on PFF’s wins above-average metric. However, Barham faced some setbacks due to injuries during his sophomore year, resulting in a lower PFF coverage grade of 44.7. In 2024, he will have the opportunity to bounce back at Michigan after transferring from Maryland in December.
Barham, a former four-star recruit from St. Frances Academy in Baltimore, showcased his skills during his time at Maryland. In 23 games, he accumulated 98 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 7.0 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, an interception, 36 run stops, and 41 quarterback pressures. He has particularly excelled as a pass rusher, generating pressure on 24.5 percent of his pass-rushing snaps. Standing at 6-foot-4, Barham is expected to take over the WILL linebacker role previously held by Michael Barrett. While he has been somewhat inconsistent in coverage, allowing 30 completions on 43 targets for 185 yards and two touchdowns in his career, he brings strong athleticism and familiarity with Michigan’s culture as a former teammate of players like Blake Corum and others from St. Frances Academy. Barham will join a linebacker group that already includes another Big Ten transfer, Ernest Hausmann, who arrived at Michigan from Nebraska last winter.
Michigan’s linebackers coach, Brian Jean-Mary, spoke highly of Jaishawn Barham’s abilities and potential impact on the team. In an interview on Michigan’s “In the Trenches” podcast, Jean-Mary acknowledged Barham as a high-level athlete and player who was highly regarded coming out of high school in the DMV area. He also mentioned that they had previously recruited Barham at his previous coaching position, which speaks to their familiarity with his talent.
Jean-Mary emphasized Barham’s experience and game tape, which demonstrated his ability to perform at a high level. Despite already having experience in the Big Ten, Barham has shown a humble and eager attitude towards immersing himself in the Michigan culture and being a part of the Michigan defense. Jean-Mary expressed confidence in Barham’s potential to have a great year and be even more productive as he wears the Maize and Blue.
Alongside Barham, several other Michigan players received recognition from PFF. Mason Graham and Kenneth Grant were ranked as the No. 1 and No. 6 returning defensive tackles, respectively. Josaiah Stewart was ranked as the No. 9 returning edge rusher. Rod Moore and Will Johnson earned spots in PFF’s safety and cornerback rankings, respectively. Additionally, tight end Colston Loveland topped the list of returning tight ends according to PFF. These rankings highlight the talent and potential impact of multiple players on Michigan’s defense heading into the 2024 season.
