For those wondering about the jersey numbers for Ravens draft picks, wait no longer.
The Ravens have officially announced jersey numbers for the 2020 draft class, and they are as follows:
- ILB Patrick Queen – No. 48
- RB J.K. Dobbins – No. 27
- DT Justin Madubuike – No. 92
- WR Devin Duvernay – No. 13
- ILB Malik Harrison – No. 40
- OL Tyre Phillips – No. 74
- OL Ben Bredeson – No. 67
- DT Broderick Washington – No. 96
- WR James Proche – No. 11
- S Geno Stone – No. 26
Dobbins is wearing the same jersey number as former Ravens running back Ray Rice, a dual threat who made big plays as both a runner and a receiver out of the backfield.
General Manager Eric DeCosta believes Dobbins has the makings of a pass-catching weapon out of the backfield like Rice.
"Ray Rice wasn't used in the passing game in college and he got to us and he was like a revelation to us in the passing game," DeCosta said.
The similarities between Dobbins and Rice don't end there. Both were the 55th overall pick in the draft. They also both came into the league behind veteran Pro Bowlers (Willis McGahee in 2008 and Mark Ingram II this year).
Queen is the Ravens' first-round draft pick, but he knew he would not be getting the No. 8 he wore at LSU because No. 8 with the Ravens belongs to Lamar Jackson, the NFL's MVP. It's also not an eligible linebacker number in the NFL. Queen's choice of No. 48, which Patrick Onwuasor wore last season, was made public soon after he was drafted.
Madubuike is wearing the same number as former defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, who is scheduled to join the Ravens Ring of Honor in 2020. That's a huge measuring stick for Madubuike to live up to, but the Ravens drafted him in the third round because they were impressed by his strength and versatility, traits that Ngata also shared.
Wearing No. 13 suggests that Duvernay is not superstitious. He wore No. 6 at Texas but that's not eligible for wide receivers in the NFL. The last Ravens wideout to wear No. 13 was John Brown in 2018.
Harrison wore No. 39 at Ohio State but chose No. 40 even though 39 was available. Kenny Young, who was traded midway through last season, last wore No. 40.
Phillips is wearing No. 74, once worn by a former Ravens first-round pick, offensive tackle Michael Oher. Phillips wore No. 78 at Mississippi State but that number is held by Orlando Brown Jr. in Baltimore. James Hurst wore No. 74 in recent years.
Bredeson's No. 67 doesn't have much Ravens history. Defensive lineman Lawrence Guy wore it for part of his Baltimore tenure. Washington's No. 96 was worn most recently by Brent Urban and saw its most success with Adalius Thomas. Proche's No. 11 was previously worn by wide receivers Breshad Perriman, Kamar Aiken and Brandon Stokley, among others.
Stone, a seventh-round draft pick, would love to have the success of two former Ravens who wore No. 26 – running back Priest Holmes and Hall of Fame defensive back Rod Woodson. Other former safeties who wore the number are Dawan Landry and Matt Elam.
Jersey numbers are subject to change before the start of the regular season as different numbers become available during the cutdown to the 53-man roster.
