San Francisco 49ers rookie defensive end Romello Height is making a number change following a couple of roster moves on Day 4 of training camp.
Per the Athletic's Matt Barrows, Height is changing from No. 94 to No. 58 in a head-scratching move for the third-round pick. The No. 58 was most recently worn by defensive tackle Evan Anderson who was officially released on the first day of training camp.
It's unclear why Height chose the number swap since 94 is a superior edge defender number to 58, which is better on a center or off-ball linebacker according to science. Height most recently wore No. 9 in college at Texas Tech and Georgia Tech. He also wore No. 37 at Auburn and No. 2 at USC. Neither Nos. 2 nor 9 are available at the moment since the former
is occupied by cornerback Deommodore Lenoir, and the latter is worn by tight end Brayden Willis.
Perhaps the swap is due to how the 49ers plan to use Height. If he plays as more of a standup outside pass rusher than as a hand-in-the-dirt defensive end, then 58 may be better for his career arc.
While 58 isn't necessarily finalized for Height since he may be eyeballing a number worn by a player who is eventually cut, chances are he spends at least his first season in his newest new number. However, if Willis is let go at final cuts we may see Height make a play for his most recent college number.
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This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers rookie has already changed his jersey number
