The Dallas Cowboys defense was absolutely putrid a season ago. They were one of the worst, if not the worst, defensive units in the entire league, finishing near the bottom in every single category. There were a few bright spots from their play last year, and rookie linebacker Shemar James may have been one of them.
Shemar James was the 152nd overall pick in the fifth round of the 2025 NFL Draft by the Dallas Cowboys. He got off to a slow start in his rookie season after being inactive for three games,
but finally made his NFL debut in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers, finishing the game with five tackles.
In Week 5 against the New York Giants, James exploded with 17 tackles, the second-most for a rookie in Cowboys history. From there, he ended up starting the next four games, but eventually took a backseat to DeMarvion Overshown once he returned from injury.
James ended his rookie season starting six of 14 games and ended up being the Cowboys leading tackler (91) in his first year in Dallas. He was the first off-the-ball linebacker to record more than 80 tackles in his rookie season for the Cowboys since Leighton Vander Esch (2018).
Despite having exceeding all expectations as a fifth-round pick as well as leading the Cowboys in tackles, No. 50 is currently facing an undefined role in the Christian Parker’s new versatile 3-4 scheme. That seems a little strange considering he was the team’s leading tackler last year, but that’s how things stand right now.
The Cowboys current LB depth seems to be better on paper than it did a season ago, even if it might be incomplete. The trade for Dee Winters, a healthy DeMarvion Overshown, and drafting Jaishawn Barham could push Shemar James further down the depth chart, which likely means a lesser defensive role in Year 2.
Fortunately for him nothing is written in stone as of yet. He has the speed to cover a lot of ground both in the running game and in pass defense, which could make him a good fit for Parker’s scheme. So, he still has a chance to carve out a role for himself, but chances are it will be less than it was in 2025.
Last year James played a little less than 50% of the defensive snaps (49.14%), second only to Kenneth Murray (78.6%) amongst Dallas’ linebackers. With Winters, Overshown, and maybe even Barham ahead of him on the depth chart, his playing time may be limited. And, could be less so if Dallas adds another vet LB.
While this may not be the ideal way James would prefer heading into his sophomore season, it is good news for the Cowboys. To have a promising, young talent who led the team in tackles just a year ago as a depth player is a win-win for the Cowboys. And who knows, No. 50 could surprise us all by taking a big Year 2 jump, forcing his way on the field.
