LSU football announced who will wear its prestigious No. 7 jersey for 2023, but this time was different than the past.

Offensive tackle Will Campbell was awarded the number for the 2023 season but must wear it as a patch on his jersey due to NCAA rules.

“This year we wanted to highlight the group that doesn’t get much notoriety. We went with Louisiana bred Will Campbell. I like the significance of the left tackle because he is a playmaker who must protect the quarterback every play,” head coach Brian Kelly said in a statement.

The No. 7 jersey has historically gone to a playmaker since the tradition started with Patrick Peterson in 2008, and Campbell is the first lineman to wear the number since then. Since Kelly’s arrival, the jersey now honors players from Louisiana.

“We want to build upon the tradition of No. 7 and award it to the best player from the state of Louisiana. That’s why Will deserves it, and I know he will wear it with pride,” Kelly said in a statement.

A Monroe native, Campbell is the second player to wear No. 7 under Kelly after Kayshon Boutte, a New Iberia native, wore it last season.

Campbell, a sophomore, started 13 of LSU’s 14 games last season, missing one game due to a medical event. He impressed as a freshman and earned Preseason First Team All-SEC honors for the upcoming season.