Junior safety Grant Delpit is set to wear the famed No. 7 for LSU in 2019. The jersey number is traditionally passed down to the team’s best playmaker.
“I understand what the number represents and how important the number is the LSU football program,” said Delpit in a press release. “This is truly an honor especially when you consider all the great players that have worn the number. I look up to those guys and try to model my game after them – the way they played the game and the way they carried themselves off the field. 
“This is a dream come true for me. I’m going to wear the number the right way and do all that I can to be a leader for this team on and off the field.”
Delpit earned unanimous All-American, becoming the ninth LSU player to do so, and All-SEC honors and was a finalist for the Nagurski Award which is given to college football’s best defensive player. He ended 2018 with 74 tackles, 9.5 tackles for a loss, 5 sacks, 5 interceptions and 14 passes defended.
Defensive coordinator Dave Aranda deployed Delpit all over the field during his sophomore campaign. Delpit lined up as a deep safety, rover and a hybrid outside linebacker.
The tradition of passing down No. 7 started in 2011 when Patrick Peterson bestowed the number to Tyrann Mathieu. Then Leonard Fournette wore the number all three years of his college career, and DJ Chark wore it his senior year.
Jonathan Giles wore the number for the first half of 2018, but changed his jersey number to 12 after struggling to make an impact.
“It’s a better choice than I made last year,” Orgeron said at his weekly press conference. “He came up to me wanting to wear No. 7 and he deserves it. He’s one of the best players in the country. I think he’s going to wear it well.”