Beginning to arrive at minicamp are the 2023 NFL Draft picks, who will wear jersey numbers that front office staff, coaches, and fans alike want to remember for years to come. Some jerseys can become hot commodities.
Veterans are also eligible to alter their jersey number. A new jersey number can be seen as a new beginning and a new lease on football life.
The first day of rookie minicamp starts on May 12 and the new draft class for New Orleans is ready to take the field.
Brian Bresee, the first choice in the draft, will don jersey number 90, which was formerly worn by linebacker James Williams, defensive lineman Nick Fairley, and defensive end Jared Tomich, all former Saints.
Isaiah Foskey, a second-round defensive end, will wear No. 55, exactly like Jackie Burkett, who was a member of the 1967 first Saints team, and former Saints linebackers Kaden Elliss, Scott Fujita, Mark Fields, and Jackie Fujita.
Kendre Miller, a running back, switches from his TCU No. 33 to No. 25. Fans will be reminded of former cornerbacks Alex Molden and Johnnie Poe as well as Reggie Bush and ‘Fast’ Freddie McAfee when they see Miller in that number. Al Dodd, a West Jefferson High alumnus who was a notable receiver, also wore 25.
The number 64 will be worn by Old Dominion’s Nick Saldiveri, who plays offensive line with Zach Streif, Will Clapp, and Dave LaFary.
Following a legacy of Black and Gold signal callers including Andy Dalton, Tommy Hodson, Karl Sweetan, and Richard Todd, Jake Haener will wear No. 14. Although Mark Ingram’s most well-known jersey number in this city was 22, he also had numbers 14 and 22 while playing for the Saints. Russell Erxleben was selected by the Saints in the first round, much like Ingram, and wore No. 14.
The number 31, which has previously been worn by Chris Banjo, Aaron Glenn, and founding Saints full back Jimmy Taylor, will be worn by Minnesotan Jordan Howden.
A.T. Perry will don jersey number 17, which was formerly sported by Robert Meachem, Jim Everett, and Billy Kilmer.
Alontae Taylor changes from the No. 27 he wore in his rookie season to the No. 1 left vacant by now-Broncos receiver Marquez Callaway for his second season in the pros.
Bryan Edwards, a free agent wide receiver who was signed, will wear No. 11, while safety and fellow former Raider Jonathan Abram will wear No. 24.
Of course, the starting quarterback for the Saints, Derek Carr, will continue to wear the No. 4. Steve Walsh, Todd Bouman, and Ryan Griffin were three former Saints signal callers that had that number.
Similar to Carr, free agency signee Jamaal Williams will wear the same number, in this case 30, that he did with Detroit.
Nathan Shepherd, who will wear No. 93 like David Onyemata, Wayne Martin, and Darren Howard, and Khalen Saunders, who will wear No. 99 like Tony Elliott, Norman Hand, and Hollis Thomas, are two veteran defensive tackles who have been added this summer.
Several undrafted rookie signees to keep an eye on:
WR Malik Flowers, No. 88, formerly wore by Floyd Turner, Eugene Goodlow, Brooks Williams, and Jeremy Shockey.
Formerly held by Jimmy Graham, Brett Perriman, Lindsey Scott, and Larry Burton, wide receiver Shaquan Davis, No. 80.
OG Jahri Evans, a current Saints assistant, who was one of the finest linemen in team history, wore the number 73, Mark Evans. No need to modify the name on the back for Mark! That number also belonged to Frank Warren and Joe Campbell.
Anfernee Orji, LB, wears No. 58, continuing the lineage of Glen Redd, Scott Shanle, and Joe Federspiel.
Ironhead Heyward, Tony Galbreath, and Tony Lorick once wore No. 34, which is now worn by Texas Tech’s SaRoderick Thompson, a running back.
LB Nick Anderson will wear the same No. 40 that he did while attending Tulane. Both Robert Massey, a cornerback, and former Saints fullback Hoyle Granger wore it.
Not every NFL team has yet distributed jersey numbers. Bill Belichick really has a rule with the New England Patriots that rookies won’t get jersey numbers until the first week of preseason. Prior to training camp, all rookies will don numbers between 50 and 99.
We are aware of a few figures regarding interest in different places.
Former LSU edge rusher B.J. Ojulari will represent the Arizona Cardinals while donning the No. 18 Tiger jersey.
No. 7 is held by Atlanta first-round pick Bijan Robinson.
The number 67 was originally worn by center Patrick Lewis, a former East St. John and Texas A&M center, and is now worn by Bills guard O’Cyrus Torrence, a former UL Lafayette star.
Dorian Williams, a former linebacker at Tulane, will play in Buffalo wearing No. 42. Prior to Josh Allen, former LSU quarterback Warren Rabb (1961–1962) was the most notable player to ever wear No. 17 for the Bills. On the 1958 National Champion Tigers squad, Rabb started at quarterback for the club. Jack Kemp took Rabb’s position in Buffalo in 1962.
Bryce Young, the top choice of Carolina, will continue to wear the number 9 from Alabama. Matt Coral, a Panthers backup, held the number but handed it to Charlotte’s anticipated starter. No. 2 will now be worn by Corral.
Erik Kramer wore No. 12 from 1991 to 1993, and Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker now does. Dick Jauron, a safety with the Detroit Lions who subsequently served as the head coach of the Bears and Bills, wore No. 26, which will be worn by Jahmyr Gibbs.
Two LSU defenders were selected by the Vikings. Tommy Mason of Tulane, along with running backs Darrin Nelson and Robert Smith, all wear No. 20, which Jay Ward has. The number 90 that was once worn by Gabe Northern and Tashawn Bower, two other former Tigers, will be worn by Jaquelin Roy.
Jarrick Bernard-Converse, a former LSU defensive back, wears No. 29 with the Jets.
Unused wide receiver Jacksonville possesses No. 87, which belongs to LSU’s Jaray Jenkins.
Andre Jones, a Varnado High and ULL graduate, is the 48th overall choice in the Washington draft.
Jalen Carter, often known as UGA North, will wear No. 98, Nolan Smith, No. 3, and newly acquired running back De’Andre Swift, who will wear No. 0, will be the first Eagle in history to wear the recently authorized number.
