About two weeks after Marvin Harrison Jr. was selected fourth overall by the Arizona Cardinals at the NFL draft, BJ Ojulari received an unexpected message from Arizona's equipment manager, Jeff Schwimmer. The message detailed a potential conflict over jersey numbers, a concern both players immediately took seriously.
Both Harrison Jr. and Ojulari had worn the number 18 during their collegiate careers—Harrison Jr. for the Ohio State Buckeyes and Ojulari for the LSU Tigers. For Ojulari, the number held significant meaning. During his final season at LSU, Ojulari was awarded the number 18, a highly coveted honor bestowed upon the best all-around player for their character, academics, and leadership traits. Under his leadership, LSU clinched the SEC Western Division title.
However, the importance of the number 18 wasn’t lost on Harrison Jr. either. The players' relationship dates back to 2019 when they faced off in high school, Ojulari playing for Marietta High School and Harrison Jr. suiting up for St. Joseph's Prep. Despite their competitive history, they managed to establish a respectful dialogue through text and phone conversations to resolve the jersey number conflict.
"We was just chopping it up. We got to talking about the number," Ojulari recalls. The conversation, while light-hearted, was crucial. "It wasn’t a hard decision," Ojulari stated matter-of-factly, indicating his willingness to compromise for the greater good of the team. Ultimately, Ojulari decided to give up the number 18 jersey to Harrison Jr. The decision was made purely on camaraderie, as no money exchanged hands during the process.
In expressing his gratitude, Harrison Jr. was effusive. "We had a great conversation. I can’t be more grateful and appreciative for him to allow me to get that number 18. I know it means a lot to him." His appreciation hints at the deep mutual respect between the two young athletes, despite their competitive history.
Ojulari was equally gracious. "It meant everything to me. It was really important to me," he said, reflecting on what the jersey number symbolized. "He’s a great guy. I feel like he deserves it. He’s gonna be instrumental for us in the offensive strike. So, it was a no-brainer. The team comes first and whatever I can do to make us more successful, I’ll do." Such an attitude is emblematic of Ojulari's selflessness and team-first mentality, traits that will undoubtedly serve him well as he transitions onto the professional stage.
Moving forward, Ojulari has taken on a new number—9. "It was such a blessing to have number 18, wearing number 18 my first year. I’m always gonna cherish that rookie jersey, just that number 18. So, it meant everything to me," Ojulari shared, underscoring how important that number was to his identity and journey thus far.
This gesture of goodwill is more than just a transfer of a jersey number. It represents the unity and mutual respect that can exist within a team, even among its newest members. For Marvin Harrison Jr. and BJ Ojulari, this experience may well be a cornerstone in building the camaraderie and chemistry needed for the Cardinals to achieve success in the upcoming seasons.
For the Arizona Cardinals, the exchange is a promising indication of the team's culture and ethos, as they now possess two high-character players who have already demonstrated exemplary leadership and compromise. As the team prepares for the upcoming season, the selflessness shown by Ojulari is likely to set a positive tone in the locker room.
In the end, the number on the jersey might change, but the qualities that earned these young men the numbers in the first place—character, leadership, and commitment—remain unwavered. And that, perhaps, is the most important number of all.