Detroit Lions announce jersey numbers for 2017 rookies

Detroit Lions rookies are in town for this weekend’s minicamp. Over the course of the three-day workouts, the team will get to know the nine players they drafted, and get the opportunity to work out several other undrafted players to see if they can land on the 90-man roster.

Here’s a look at the numbers chosen by the rookies drafted in 2017:

Jarrad Davis: 40
Teez Tabor: 30
Kenny Golladay: 19
Jalen Reeves-Maybin: 44
Michael Roberts: 80
Jamal Agnew: 39
Jeremiah Ledbetter: 98
Brad Kaaya: 8
Pat O’Connor: 96

Jarrad Davis will be wearing No. 40, the number he wore in college. If that seems like a strange number for a linebacker to wear, it is. Linebackers have only been allowed to wear a number from 40-49 since 2015, when the league passed the Brian Bosworth rule.

As Roberts leaked last week, he is taking over No. 80, which was previously used by Anquan Boldin last year. This sets up an awesome opportunity for a nickname; for a guy who will most definitely be a weapon for Matthew Stafford in the red zone, M80 is more than suitable.

DJ Hayden, the veteran cornerback added in the early goings of free agency, already staked claim to the No. 31, which was Jalen Tabor’s jersey number in Gainesville. He ended up choosing No. 30 and it could be interesting to hear if there were any discussions, or any potential bartering for that number.

Here’s a list of the undrafted free agents signed on Friday and the numbers they’ll be wearing in camp:

Noel Thomas: 12
Tion Green: 38
Desmond Lawrence: 46
Robert Tonyan: 47b
Josh Thornton: 47w
Nick James: 62
Storm Norton: 65
Maurice Swain: 67
Leo Koloamatangi: 75
Jeremiah Valoaga: 78
Alex Barrett: 79
Brandon Barnes: 82
Dontez Ford: 83
Michael Rector: 84