Most of y’all know how I feel about jersey numbers, they are important and have meaning. Many players take them quite seriously as well, sometimes going so far as to pay to get their coveted number off of another player. Each year, a few FC Dallas kit numbers change.

So let’s have some fun and make some FC Dallas jersey number predictions for 2020…

Thiago Santos wore 5 at Palmeiras and 5 is open. So easy peasy, 5 it is.

Jesus Ferreira wore 7 in the Academy and is 27 with FCD… so I predict he asks for the 7-jersey and gets it. Maybe 10 like his dad? But I think 7 is his number. When you give a guy a phat raise he gets to pick his number.

Paxton Pomykal 10 and Jesus Ferreira 7 during the 2017 Dallas Cup SuperGroup Final against CF Monterrey. (Courtesy Dallas Cup)

Paxton Pomykal has allegedly told people he wants to stay in the no. 19. So even though the 10 he wore in the Academy is open, I think he stays in the 19.

Side note: With Pablo Aranguiz on season-long loan his number is open. It’s highly, highly unlikely he would ever be back anyway.

Pomykal and Ferreira are the only two players on the roster right now who can have the 10 if either wants it. And Michael Barrios. But I doubt he’ll change from 21 at this point.

No, Thomas Roberts can’t have the 10. Not yet.

Thomas Roberts, wearing the 10-jersey, shoots during the 2017 DA Winter Showcase (Collodi Photography)

Will Jimmy Maurer go back to 14? He only swapped out of it because Dom Badji wanted it. Although Maurer didn’t care all that much about the 14 anyway. I’m sure Maurer will stay in the 20. Unless someone new is crazy about the 20, I suppose.

Update: Jimmy Maurer posted an Instagram pic with a box of new keeper gloves for the season. They all say JM20 on the straps, so no number change for Jimmy is seems.

Fafa Picault has often worn the 9 in his career… but he’s not really a 9. Has Cobra asked for the 9? I bet both asked for 9 and instead of handing it to either, FCD will hold it open for a big signing. So I’m giving Picault the 14 – he doesn’t fit the franchise history of the 14 but it’s a solid number – and leaving Zdenek Ondrasek at 13.

And no, Ricardo Pepi can’t have the 9 either. It’s way too early and that’s too much weight for a 16-year-old. Bang in 20 in the show and you can have the 9.

Ricardo Pepi. Number 9 for North Texas Soccer Club. (Craig Marcho, 3rd Degree)

Brandon Servania is a linking-8 and he wore 8 in the Academy and 18 now. So while 6 is a good number, I think Servania waits for the 8 to someday come open and stays in his 18.

9 – Aldo Quevedo, 8 – Brandon Servania, 10 – Paxton Pomykal, and 6 – Adrian Ramos celebrate during the 2017 Dallas Cup SuperGroup Final. (Courtesy Dallas Cup)

Edwin Cerrillo is positionally worthy of a 6 jersey and he wore either 6 or 7 in the Academy. Arguably, it’s a bit early in his career for the 6 but dang it, I really have faith in this kid. So, yeah, he can have the 6. (He could be an FCD 14 as well in the tradition of Leonel Alvarez and Ted Eck.)

Dante Sealy will take no. 31 as it’s his dad’s number and Dante wore it with NTXSC last year. He’s not getting the 7 he wore in the Academy. Not yet anyway.

All the other new players will be assigned high squad numbers 28 and up. While players can usually pick a number in this high range if they feel strongly about it, most just take what is assigned. Preseason numbers aren’t locked in stone until the season starts anyway so any of these players that make the final roster might switch to something else.

A few guesses…

Eddie Munjoma – 32 (he wore 12 in college)

Nkosi Burgess – 27 (17 in college)

Cal Jennings – 33 (3 in college. Be happy with 33, you’re not getting 3. See Cooper, Kenny.)

Manuel Ferriol – 28 (he’s an 8/10 type)

Derek Waldeck – 34 (4 in college)

Anders Engebretsen – 35

Aidan Megally – 36

I also predict Brecc Evans, Ronaldo Damus, David Rodriguez and Arturo Rodriguez will get invited to FCD camp. In which case they will be given high numbers for any scrimmages they play in.

Want to know how these players fit – or don’t – into the MLS roster? Check out the Roster Dance feature.

Buzz’s Preseason FC Dallas Numeric Roster Prediction

Changes and new players in BOLD.

Number Player 1 Jesse Gonzalez 2 Reggie Cannon 3 Reto Ziegler 4 Bressan 5 Thiago Santos 6 Edwin Cerrillo 7 Jesus Ferreira 8 Bryan Acosta 9 Open 10 Open 11 Santiago Mosquera 12 Ryan Hollingshead 13 Cobra 14 Fafa Picault 15 Jacori Hayes 16 Ricardo Pepi 17 Francis Atuahene 18 Brandon Servania 19 Paxton Pomykal 20 Jimmy Maurer 21 Michael Barrios 22 Ema Twumasi 23 Thomas Roberts 24 Matt Hedges 25 Callum Montgomery 26 John Nelson 27 Nkosi Burgess 28 Manuel Ferriol 29 Bryan Reynolds 30 Kyle Zobeck 31 Dante Sealy 32 Eddie Munjoma 33 Cal Jennings 34 Derek Waldeck 35 Anders Engebretsen 36 Aidan Megally 37 Brecc Evans 38 David Rodriguez 39 Ronaldo Damus 40 Arturo Rodriguez