After the Dallas Cowboys lucked out with wide receiver CeeDee Lamb falling to them at No. 17, a number controversy stirred. In the end, Lamb will wear No. 88, per request of Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
According to Jon Machota of The Athletic, he wanted Lamb to follow in the footsteps of some of the Cowboys greats.
“Jerry Jones said he would like CeeDee Lamb to wear No. 88, following in the Cowboys WR footsteps of Dez Bryant, Michael Irvin and Drew Pearson.”
Bryant, the former Cowboys receiver who is trying to make a comeback with the team, congratulated Lamb on Twitter. Bryant posted, “BE YOU and BE GREAT..”
In a follow up, Bryant posted an Instagram Live video, and said he wants Lamb to build his own legacy.
“I want him to build his own legacy and make his own mark, break that touchdown record,” Bryant said.
The first day of the draft was a victory for the Cowboys as the team never dreamed of Lamb falling to them. The Raiders drafted Henry Ruggs II, while the Broncos took Jerry Jeudy, which allowed the Cowboys to take Lamb at No. 17 overall.
Those are some bold words from the Cowboys’ all-time leader in touchdown receptions (73).
Lamb, the 6-foot-2, 192-pound wideout from Oklahoma, rounds out the receiving corps with Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup. The combination of the three ranks right up there as the best trio in the league.
Respect from one number 88 in Dallas to the next 💪 pic.twitter.com/r1uUQQCUAr
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) May 2, 2020
Coming into the draft, Lamb was pegged as one of the best receivers in this class. Last season, Lamb caught 62 receptions for 1,327 yards and 14 touchdowns.
Among the other Cowboys rookie jersey numbers includes the following:
31 – Trevon Diggs
75 – Neville Gallimore
41 – Reggie Robinson II
63 – Tyler Biadasz
51 – Bradlee Anae