One of the Cleveland Browns‘ rookies will be a little different the next time he’s on the field.
KC Concepcion, the Browns’ first-round pick at No. 24 overall in the 2026 NFL Draft, was spotted wearing No. 1 at the annual NFLPA Rookie Premiere, which took place May 14-16 in Los Angeles. The number is a departure from the No. 17 he wore during rookie minicamp earlier this month.
When Concepcion first revealed his No. 17 jersey after the draft, he explained the thinking behind it.
“I was No. 1 in high school, then in my final year in college, I was No. 7. [Together], 17,” he said.
Concepcion wore No. 1 at his high school in North Carolina before going on to NC State, where he spent his first two seasons. He transferred to Texas A&M, where he wore No. 7 in his final college season. He caught 61 receptions for 919 yards and nine touchdowns last season with the Aggies.
Browns RB Quinshon Judkins Appeared Set on No. 1
The number switch has another layer to the story. Running back Quinshon Judkins, who wore No. 10 as a rookie, had been expected to make the move to No. 1 this season. The now-coveted number was most recently assigned to cornerback Martin Emerson Jr., though he never wore it in a regular-season game after suffering a training camp injury and later departing for the New Orleans Saints in free agency.
The change has sparked speculation that Judkins may have been compensated to give up the number. The X account NFL Jersey Numbers suggested a deal could have been made behind the scenes.
“After wearing number 17 in camp, KC Concepcion was wearing number 1 at the NFLPA rookie premier,” the account posted. “It had been reported to me that Judkins was going to take 1. Perhaps something has changed or a little money changed hands. Stay tuned.”
For now, Judkins’ jersey plans remain unclear. Rookie linebacker Justin Jefferson has already been assigned No. 10, the number Judkins wore last season, leaving his eventual choice up in the air. The Browns also cautioned when releasing rookie minicamp numbers that all assignments remain “subject to change before the beginning of the 2026 season.”
KC Concepcion Only Unsigned Browns Rookie
Concepcion attended the rookie event alongside Denzel Boston, Cleveland’s second-round pick at No. 39 overall. The event serves as a launching pad for the NFL’s incoming rookie class as players begin building their brands ahead of their first season.
That said, Concepcion still has one piece of business left unfinished. He remains the only unsigned member of the Browns’ 2026 draft class after safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren finalized his rookie deal earlier this month. With rookie contracts largely dictated by the NFL’s slotted wage scale, negotiations at this stage typically come down to details such as signing bonus structure and offset language rather than overall contract value.
It’s not viewed as a major concern at this point, but getting the deal done sooner rather than later would be ideal for Cleveland. Concepcion is expected to play a meaningful role in the offense as a rookie, and every rep matters as he works to build chemistry and carve out his place in Todd Monken’s system.
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