Eagles Release Uniform Numbers for Draft Picks
Jalen Reagor leaked his uniform number weeks ago.
Jalen Hurts spilled the beans on his uniform number on Wednesday night.
On Thursday, the Eagles released the numbers for their 10-member rookie class of draft picks.
Reagor will indeed wear No. 18. The first-round pick will follow in the footsteps of Shelton Gibson and Dorial Green-Beckham, the two receivers who most recently wore that number. The hope is Reagor wears it more successfully than the previous two No. 18s.
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Hurts will wear No. 2, which was his number while at the University of Alabama. Last year, in his one season with Oklahoma, Hurts wore No. 1.
Number one would probably be too brash, though ones would have been wild with Carson Wentz wearing No. 11.
The last Eagles player to wear No. 2 was Matt Barkley, a former fourth-round pick of Chip Kelly in 2013. Barkley wore it for the two seasons he was in town.
It’s a number not commonly worn previously. Perhaps the most famous of the No. 2s was kicker David Akers, who is the franchise’s leader in regular-season games played and points scored.
Here are the other eight players and their numbers:
No. 42 K’Von Wallace: This was the number worn by Andrew Sendejo last season until he was released late in the year, that is. The most famous Eagle to have worn No. 42 was running back Keith Byars, the team’s No. 2 draft pick, and 10 player taken overall, in 1986. Byars also wore the No. 41 during his seven seasons with the Eagles.
No. 52 Davion Taylor: This was the number worn by linebacker Zach Brown last year, for six games anyway until he was released. Otherwise, it’s a mostly undistinguished group that has worn 52 in the past, though Najee Goode and Brian Rolle earn a mention, as does Rich Kraynak, because he and I were high school teammates back in proverbial the day.
No. 54 Shaun Bradley: Anybody remember this being Brandon Graham’s number? It was, but it was not for long, because he changed his mind shortly after having it issued to No. 55. Kamu Grugier-Hill wore it most recently and did so for the previous four seasons but is now with the Dolphins after signing with them as a free agent in the offseason. The most famous Eagle to wear 54 was Jeremiah Trotter.
No. 56 Casey Toohill: The seventh-round pick gets the number most recently worn by one of the Eagles’ more popular players, Chris Long. Bryan Braman, a special teams ace, also sported this number. Going back much further, Jerry Robinson – the last linebacker the Eagles drafted – wore it from 1979 through 1984.
No. 63 Jack Driscoll: Cover your eyes for the names of the two most recent Eagles to wear this number – David Molk and Danny Watkins. Molk wore it for two seasons, 2014 and 15. Watkins also had it for two seasons, 2011 and 12. It’s not all bad, though. Hank “Honey Buns” Fraley, the Eagles’ starting center for five seasons at the start of this century, played well with 63.
No. 72 Prince Tega Wanogho: It didn’t take the Eagles long to move on from Halapoulivaati Vaitai, who had this number for the previous four seasons before leaving for Detroit in free agency. Tra Thomas is probably the most memorable player to have this number, but don’t forget about Wade Key, too.
No. 80 Quez Watkins: Cris Carter and Irving Fryar brighten the previous No. 80s among a group that includes Billy McMullen, Torrance Small, and James Thrash. Jordan Matthews also wore it, but not until his third stint back with the team.
No. 82 John Hightower: Torrey Smith won a Super Bowl wearing this number in his one season with the Eagles and L.J. Smith played in a Super Bowl with No. 82, making a touchdown catch, too, in SBXXXIX. Even more to live up to for Hightower considering it was also a number worn by Mike Quick and Tim Rossovich.
