SJ #50

Shemar James

Linebacker · Florida

A former five-star recruit who set a Cowboys franchise rookie record with 15 tackles in a single game during his 2025 debut season.

Shemar James grew up a self-described lifelong Cowboys fan and got to live it out after Dallas traded up in the fifth round to draft him in 2025. The Florida product had an uneven start to his rookie year before forcing his way into the lineup down the stretch.

★ Five-star recruit and Rivals' top-ranked linebacker in the 2022 class

★ Set Cowboys franchise rookie record with 15 tackles in a game (Week 5, 2025, vs. Jets)

★ Started six games as a rookie after opening the season inactive

Path to the league

A Mobile, Alabama native out of Faith Academy, James was a five-star recruit and the top-ranked linebacker in the 2022 class according to Rivals. Over 34 games at Florida, he racked up 165 total tackles, 12 tackles for loss, five sacks, three pass breakups, two forced fumbles and an interception. Dallas selected him in the fifth round, No. 152 overall, in the 2025 draft after trading up with Arizona.

Career highlights

James arrived in the league with a reputation as a physical, instinctive downhill linebacker built on his Florida tape, and he validated that scouting report by midseason of his rookie year when the coaching staff turned to him as the position group struggled.

2025 season recap

James was a healthy scratch for the first three games of his rookie season before making his debut in Week 4. He broke out in Week 5 with 15 tackles against the Jets, a Cowboys franchise rookie record. He finished the year with 91 total tackles, two sacks, two tackles for loss and a forced fumble across 14 games, starting six of them down the stretch, including a Christmas Day win over Washington.