Ranking Cardinals Rookie Jersey Numbers

A famous Deion Sanders once uttered the quote, "When you look good, you feel good. When you feel good, you play well. When you play well, they pay well."

There's legitimate truth to this, as some guys come out of the gate with a jersey number they love and suddenly they have a confidence boost from the look and play some great football.

It's not a surprise the vast majority of players enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame have jersey numbers that just match their vibe.

It's also no coincidence that certain jersey numbers mesh better with specific positions. And when all of those line up, you find yourself a confident team that has high self-esteem. That stuff matters.

The Arizona Cardinals just handed out jersey numbers for the 2025 NFL Draft class, and the majority of the incoming rookies absolutely knocked it out of the park. Honestly, I like all seven numbers the guys picked, but some more than others. And that's what I want to throw out to you here.

Of the seven incoming rookies, who has the best jersey number that represents them, their position, and the amount of swagger they receive from it?

Let's rank them best-to-worst with the top spot being no surprise and honestly having a massive gap ahead of second place.

1) Will Johnson #0

The introduction of the #0 jersey was mostly well-received, and plenty of players have rocked it. Roquan Smith, Calvin Ridley, and Brian Burns are a handful of the players who are absolutely KILLING it with that swagger.

Johnson is next in line.

Some players who wear #0 don’t have nearly the swagger that others do, but Johnson will more than live up to it as a shutdown corner with ball-hawk skills. Johnson is hungry for revenge after being passed up to the second round, and #0 is a perfect opportunity to show off his skills with insane amounts of drip.

2) Walter Nolen #97

Defensive linemen who take a number in the 90s understand the assignment, but 95-99 is where they separate themselves from the pack. Nolen rocking #97 is phenomenal.

I would’ve accepted #92 to involve his college #2 jersey, but I’m a huge fan of #97. The only option better would be if #99 were available, but it has been retired. Thanks a lot, Chicago Cardinals legend Marshall Goldberg.

But that's OK, because #97 is a great number for a defensive tackle, and the look and feel of it make Nolen a star in the making.

3) Cody Simon #50

If you’re a traditional linebacker, then I need you to wear number 50-59, with extra props if you’re wearing number 52. But anything in that range is perfect for the defense captain. Obviously, number 50 was a natural pick for Simon.

Mr. Do-It-All has a jersey that blends all the good that the position calls for, and seeing him run the defense with that number is classic.

If Johnson didn’t claim #0, then Simon would’ve been my choice. And yes, that would’ve made him the top guy on this list. 

4) Denzel Burke #29

Certain jersey numbers in the 20s give off elite vibes for defensive backs. #20, #21, and #29 are at the top of that list, and I think those three are good enough to make you a better player from the vibes alone.

And that is what Burke needs to finally take that next step as a cover man. We’ve seen flashes of brilliance and learning behind guys that will help him develop. And now that he's repping #29, he is all but guaranteed to become something remarkable.

5) Kitan Crawford #36

Safeties get a little bit more leeway when it comes to jersey numbers. The 20s are still the sweet spot, but safeties can pull off 30s and occasionally 40s, which is not easy. If you’re getting a number in the 30s, then it’s gotta be either #32 (heavy) or #36. 

Crawford got the latter and it looks damn good. But even better than that is #36 gives off elite special teamer vibes, and that’s where Crawford can make an early impact. 

It’s a good number for the rookie, and perhaps it will allow him to follow in the footsteps of Budda Baker, who also started his career as a special teams ace wearing #36.

6) Jordan Burch #52

I know I’ll catch some flak for this, but let me explain.

Pass rushers have tons of options in today’s league. Numbers in the 90s are always safe, the 50s are usually good options, and some guys even rock the 40s, which again is not easy to do. But there are specific numbers in each group that don’t fit pass rushers best. #52 is one of those numbers.

#52 is ideal for traditional linebackers — think Ray Lewis and Patrick Willis. Burch is a true pass rusher, so the number doesn’t fit as well. I would’ve preferred him in the 90s, considering his size, or a better numbers in the 50s like #55 or #58, but it’s still not the worst here and it'll grow on me. 

7) Hayden Conner #58

It should be illegal for true linemen on either side of the ball to wear jersey numbers in the 50s. Offensive linemen should be between 60-79, and I won’t hear arguments against. 

#58 isn’t the worst in the world, but I’m still not a fan. Maybe Conner will get himself a fresh number after some eventual roster cuts…