Jaguars Rookies Collin Johnson, K'Lavon Chaisson Reveal Jersey Numbers

One of the most anticipated decisions anytime a player is draft to an NFL squad has been revealed by two of the Jacksonville Jaguars' 12 draft picks this week, with first-round defensive end K'Lavon Chaisson and fifth-round wide receiver Collin Johnson revealing their jersey numbers.

Chaisson, who the Jaguars selected at No. 20 overall last Thursday, said Monday he would be wearing No. 45 next season. Just last season, defensive end Josh Allen, the Jaguars' top pick in 2019, opted for No. 41, so this gives the Jaguars a pair of 40s flying off of the edge.

40 Gang 🤘🏾 https://t.co/uNp43zYSzE
— Joshua Hines-Allen (@JoshHinesAllen) April 27, 2020

Past Jaguars players who have worn 45 include safety Travis Davis (1995-98), safety JoJuan Armour (1999), safety Erik Olson (2000), fullback Chris Fuamatu-Ma’afala (2003-04), and fullback Will Ta'ufo'ou (2012-13).

At LSU, Chaisson wore No. 18 in his final season, which is given each year to the players on the team who exemplify best what it means to be Tigers. Chaisson went on to record 13.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, and one forced fumble in 2019 as he helped lead LSU to a National Championship.

“It meant a lot. Obviously 18 is a tradition, it started with Matt Mauck, a quarterback who played at LSU. But it just shows true recognition of your character on and off the field, how you were raised and true leadership that you show, and to get that number coming off a season when I didn’t play because of an injury, it meant a lot," Chaisson said after he was drafted.

Meanwhile, Johnson announced Tuesday that he will be wearing No. 19, a nice compliment to DJ Chark's No. 17 and Chris Conley's No. 18.

I’ll be rocking number 19 in Jacksonville 🐆 #DUUUVAL pic.twitter.com/dFvTTLqq6p
— Collin Johnson (@Call_In_Johnson) April 28, 2020

New look for Collin Johnson! @Jaguars @Call_In_Johnson #ThisIsTexas #HookEm #NFLDraft #TexasMade pic.twitter.com/yh9wgFXfmy
— Texas Football (@TexasFootball) April 25, 2020

This number makes sense for Johnson considering he wore No. 9 while with the Texas Longhorns but is ineligible to wear the number in the NFL. Leonard Fournette took a similar route when he went from No. 7 at LSU to No. 27 in the NFL.

Past Jaguars who have worn No. 19 include wide receiver Ernest Wilford (2004-07), wide receiver Tiquan Underwood (2009-10), and punter Bryan Anger (2012-13).

Johnson is considered by many to be one of the Jaguars' best value picks of the draft since many expected for him to be selected earlier than the fifth-round. The 6-foot-6 receiver battled injuries in 2019 and he attributed his own draft slide to a process that didn't make it easy on prospects due to COVID-19.

"It’s important to understand what’s in your control and what’s not in your control and that’s what I kept repeating to myself over and over throughout the draft as days and picks were ticking and going on," Johnson said. "But for me I feel like kind of the pandemic making this whole coronavirus going on, it didn’t give me a chance to showcase my best, I didn’t do the combine, workouts and stuff ‘cuz I had a hurt groin at the time. And I didn’t get my opportunity to have my pro day because it got cancelled, and I feel like those are opportunities to prove myself.

"And when teams don’t get to see that, you know that definitely hurts somebody. But I’m extremely thankful for the opportunity and the main thing is to get your foot in the door, and once I got that call I knew I had a shot and now it’s in my hands.”

UPDATE:

Forth-round cornerback Josiah Scott, who the Jaguars selected out of Michigan State with the No. 137 overall pick, also announced he will be wearing the No. 24.

Ya boy making the switch to #️⃣2️⃣4️⃣
— Josiah Scott (@JosiahScott7) April 26, 2020