Cincinnati Bengals assign jersey numbers to rookies

Shortly after the Cincinnati Bengals used the 21st overall pick to draft Billy Price in the first round, the former Ohio State center looked up the roster to see if anyone on the team had No. 54, which he wore throughout high school and college.

“We saw no one had it and I was like, ‘Yeah, cool,’” Price said. “When I came in (Friday) morning I found out it was retired and I was like, ‘OK, we’ll get another one. Whatever. To me it’s just a number.”

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The only player to wear for 54 for the Bengals was Bob Johnson, who also played center and was the team’s first draft pick for the inaugural season of 1968.

This week the Bengals assigned Price, and the other 10 draft picks, their jersey numbers.

Here’s a look the digits the new guys will be sporting:

53 — Billy Price, center

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30 — Jessie Bates III, safety

94 — Sam Hubbard, defensive end

45 — Malik Jefferson, linebacker

32 — Mark Walton, running back

35 — Davontae Harris, cornerback

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94 — Andrew Brown, defensive tackle

38 — Darius Phillips, cornerback