Broderick Jones. Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Steelers announce jersey numbers for draft class

The Steelers officially announced on Wednesday what numbers their 2023 rookie draft class will be wearing, and some may be surprising.

It was already announced that Pittsburgh's first-round pick, Broderick Jones, is wearing No. 77 to remember his college roommate, Devin Willock, who passed away in a car crash.

"My roommate from the University of Georgia, he wore 77," Jones told reporters. "They told me the number was available and I just wanted to show my respects by taking that number and letting him live through me."

Some speculated that CB Joey Porter Jr. would wear No. 5 as his dad wore No. 55 for the Steelers. However, he chose No. 24 to honor "Uncle Ike" Taylor.

Pittsburgh's second second-round pick, DT Keeanu Benton stuck with No. 95 which he wore in college.

However, the much-anticipated number for TE Darnell Washington isn't what many hoped for. Since the league made No. 0 official, fans had hoped Washington would rock the new number as he did in college.

That isn't the case as the Steelers still seem to be against skill players wearing single-digit numbers. Instead, Pittsburgh's new tight end will sport No. 80.

Fourth-round pick, LB Nick Herbig, will wear No. 51, and seventh-rounders, CB Cory Trice Jr. and OL Spencer Anderson, will wear Nos. 27 and 74.

With the numbers set, all that's left to see is how they fair on the field in what is a rookie class with a lot of high expectations.

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