The New England Patriots’ nine draft picks will arrive in Foxborough later this week. On Tuesday, they already received a first welcome gift.
As the team announced via social media, the group has been assigned its first NFL jersey numbers. Those digits range from first-round pick Caleb Lomu getting No. 74 to seventh-rounder Quintayvious Hutchins receiving No. 45.
In numerical order, here is the full list of numbers for the Patriots’ draft choices as
rookie minicamp nears.
15: QB Behren Morton
21: CB Karon Prunty
30: RB Jam Miller
45: ED Quintayvious Hutchins
48: LB Namdi Obiazor
50: ED Gabe Jacas
68: OT Dametrious Crownover
74: OT Caleb Lomu
82: TE Eli Raridon
Even though none of the numbers can directly be traced back to the nine players’ college days, there is a logic behind some of them.
The aforementioned Caleb Lomu, for example, wore No. 71 at Utah. With that number currently occupied by starting right guard Mike Onwenu in New England, however, he was given the closest available in the 70s. Fellow offensive tackle Dametrious Crownover, meanwhile, went from 78 — a retired number with the Patriots (Bruce Armstrong) — to 68.
Second-round selection Gabe Jacas, on the other hand, returns to the 50s after sporting No. 17 at Illinois; he wore 52 in high school but both that and his college number are already taken by Patriots offensive tackle Marcus Bryant and punter Bryce Baringer, respectively. With him getting No. 50, he becomes the first Patriot since Mike Vrabel’s arrival last year to receive the head coach’s former digits.
The Patriots’ reported 12-player undrafted free agent class remains without official numbers for the time being. Together with the team’s nine drafted players and a deep group of tryouts, they will participate in rookie minicamp between Friday, May 8, and Sunday, May 10.
