By the Numbers
- 17 – WR Xavier Legette
- 24 – RB Jonathon Brooks
- 26 – CB Chau Smith-Wade
- 41 – LB Michael Barrett
- 56 – LB Trevin Wallace
- 85 – TE Ja’Tavion Sanders
- 96 – DE Jaden Crumedy
Yes, ButNew players often receive different numbers initially, with potential changes before the regular season.
State of Play
- Rookies are adapting to their new roles and surroundings during minicamp.
- Jersey numbers for the preseason may differ from the regular season.
What’s NextThe rookies will train during minicamp as they prepare for potential number changes and the upcoming season.
Bottom LineAs the Panthers’ rookies gear up for minicamp, they are adjusting to new numbers that may evolve before the official season kicks off, highlighting the beginning of their journey towards NFL stardom.
Rookie minicamp numbers assigned
CHARLOTTE — The Panthers will get their first look at their draft class at this weekend’s rookie minicamp, even if some of them might have different looks by the time the season starts.
Other than first-rounder Xavier Legette (who has already claimed his old South Carolina jersey number 17), the other rookies aren’t as locked into the numbers they’ll wear this weekend.
Jersey numbers aren’t officially official until the start of the regular season, and there could be changes between now and then as the roster continues to adjust through the season.
But for now, here’s what the draft class will be wearing this weekend.
Having a different number in the preseason is fairly common for rookies. Former Panthers defensive tackle Kawann Short laughed about being issued 68 when his preferred number, 99, wasn’t available when he got here.
“When Carolina called, it was like when I say everybody was shocked me, my agent, my family,” Short said. “I was so shocked and I just remember they asked what number you want? Do they have these different numbers? They said they had 68. That was like the first number that they said, but I was just excited. I didn’t even give them a chance to finish and find out the rest of the numbers. So that’s why, preseason in my rookie year, it was 68. It just don’t look good on the D-line.
“Growing up it’s the 99, the nineties and it was like, OK, all those were gone and I’m just like 68 and it was like 73 or something like that. And just as soon as they said 68 then they started saying other stuff, and I was like 68 is fine.”
Getting used to a lot of new is part of the process of rookie minicamp for players as they learn their new homes and new responsibilities, so a number that could be temporary is par for the course.
