Every NFL rookie knows the drill: you don't always get to pick your jersey number. Even if you're the first player your team drafted.

Just ask CJ Allen, the Georgia middle linebacker the Colts scooped up in the second round. In college, Allen wore No. 3 with pride. But when he arrived in Indianapolis for rookie minicamp, that number was already spoken for—kicker Spencer Shrader had claimed it first. So the team handed Allen No. 53.

At first, it might have felt like a consolation prize. But then it clicked. "It was the number that was given to me," Allen said. "It just all started making sense—53rd pick. It's a great linebacker number, especially here for sure."

And he's not wrong. No. 53 has a rich history in Indianapolis. Dozens of players have worn it over the years, most notably Shaquille Leonard. The former Colts star linebacker donned that number while winning Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2018 and earning three straight first-team All-Pro nods before a spinal injury cut his time with the team short. For a young linebacker like Allen, that's a legacy worth stepping into.

The later-round picks didn't have it so easy. With fewer numbers to choose from and less bargaining power, most simply took what was available. It's the classic rookie reality—sometimes your number finds you, not the other way around. And for the Colts' newest additions, that's just part of the journey.