After Washington selected him with the 15th pick of the first round last Thursday, Haskins, who wore No. 7 at the Bullis School and Ohio State, told NFL Network he wanted to “talk to Mr. Theismann first” before requesting the number.

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“I’m not opposed to it,” Theismann said earlier this week. “I’m not saying yes yet, but I really want to sit down and talk to the young man and get a chance to meet him.”

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Theismann, Washington’s first Super Bowl-winning quarterback, still hasn’t met Haskins, but he ultimately decided to give him the go-ahead over the phone.

“I want the kid to be successful,” Theismann said Wednesday during an interview with 106.7 the Fan′s Grant Paulsen and Danny Rouhier. “He doesn’t need to worry about, ‘Well, I wish I could’ve worn a different jersey, I wish I could’ve worn a number.’ If this is one less thing that puts any problems out there or issues out there for him or statements or comments, let’s make his life as easy possible, so that we can get the success from him that we’re hoping and expecting.”

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The Redskins have only one number officially retired — Sammy Baugh’s No. 33 — but several others, including Theismann’s No. 7, Sean Taylor’s No. 21 and John Riggins’s No. 44, haven’t been issued to other players out of respect for those who made them famous. Theismann said he has appreciated that “protected” status over the past 35 years.

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“It’s not a retired number,” he said. “I guess you could call it a semiactive number. And it was important to him . . . He obviously has been designated the future of this franchise, and why not make it easy on him? I guess it will be interesting to see another No. 7 running out there that’s six inches taller and about, I don’t know, 40 pounds heavier.”

As of Wednesday morning, the Redskins had yet to announce which number Haskins or any of their other draft picks will wear. A team spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.