Giants Unveil Rookies' Jersey Numbers
The Giants 2021 draft class will be sporting some brand new jerseys when they hit the field Friday for the first of two mandatory minicamp practices.
Here's the breakdown of the new numbers, including a bit of history behind them. But before you go rushing out to buy any jerseys, remember that jersey numbers are subject to change.
WR Kadarius Toney, No. 89
Ever since being worn by the great Mark Bavaro (1985-90), this jersey number has had an up and down tenure of sorts.
Receiver Amani Toomer wore the number for one season before switching to No. 81, and in 2007, rookie tight end Kevin Boss did the number proud.
In between Toomer and Boss, tight end Dan Campbell--yes, the Detroit Lions head coach--wore the number while with the Giants.
More recently, the number was worn by tight ends Jerrell Adams and Garrett Dickerson, neither of whom had a lengthy career with the Giants. Let's hope Toney, who in college wore 17, 4, and then most recently 1 (fitting given his future first-round draft status), breaks that developing trend.
Edge Azeez Ojulari, No. 51
Ojulari, the Giants second-round draft pick, wore numbers 38 and 13 in college. He'll take over No. 51 for the Giants--the sum of 38 and 13--and a jersey number last worn by outside linebacker Kyler Fackrell and, before that, long snapper Zak DeOssie.
CB Aaron Robinson, No. 33
Robinson, who began his college career at Alabama where he wore No. 23, later went on to don numbers 37 and 31 at Central Florida. In taking No. 33 with the Giants, which was last worn by running back Dion Lewis, Robinson becomes the first defensive back to wear that number since Mike Jordan was assigned it in 2018.
DE Elerson Smith, No. 58
Elerson Smith, who wore No. 16 in college, gets the jersey number made famous by the great Carl Banks, who proudly wore it for the Giants in 1984-1992.
Interestingly, the number was assigned last year to long snapper Casey Kreiter, who is still assigned that number according to the Giants.com website. So expect one of those two players to be changing numbers at some point.
RB Gary Brightwell, No. 37
Brightwell, who wore No. 23 in college, takes on No. 37 to start his Giants career, the number last worn by cornerback Ryan Lewis and a number worn mostly by defensive backs throughout Giants team history.
CB Rodarius Williams, No. 25
Williams donned No. 8 in college, but for the pros, he's taking on No. 25, last worn by Corey Ballentine. Among the more recent and well-known Giants defensive backs to wear No. 25 include 2001 first-rounder Will Allen and Super Bowl hero R.W. McQuarters (2006-2008).
DE Raymond Johnson III, No. 91
Johnson, one of the three undrafted free agents signed by the Giants--he played his ball at Georgia Southern, apparently had to "settle" for No. 91, most famously worn by Giants great Justin Tuck.
Johnson's old college number, 92, isn't available from the Giants, who plan to retire the number, last worn by Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan in 2007, this fall.
IOL Brett Heggie, No. 61
Heggie, who wore No. 61 at Florida, gets a chance to continue wearing the digits with the Giants. Interestingly ( and almost hard to believe), Pro Football Reference shows that the last player to wear No. 61 for the Giants was offensive lineman Dallas Reynolds, who wore it from 2013-2015.
Back in the 1980s, the number was a bit more popular. It was worn by Super Bowl XXI guard Chris Godfrey, with the team from 1984-1987, and Bob Kratch (Super Bowl XXV), a Giant from 1989-1993.
OL Jake Burton, No. 70
Burton, who wore No. 97 and 73 in college (he attended UCLA and then Baylor), takes over the number previously assigned to guard Kevin Zeitler, who was but earlier this year. No. 70 was once famously worn by defensive lineman Leonard Marshall.
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