Ollie Gordon Finds Motivation in His New Number

If Ollie Gordon needs motivation in his rookie season, he need only to look at his jersey.

The Miami Dolphins released their rookies’ jersey numbers on Friday, and Gordon is set to wear No. 31. It’s a big change from his days in Stillwater, where he rocked No. 0 for the past three seasons.

Gordon met with reporters ahead of Miami’s rookie camp on Friday. According to ESPN’s Marcel Louis-Jacques, Gordon didn’t necessarily choose his new number, but he said it will be a reminder to the 31 other teams who passed on him in the draft.

Dolphins RB Ollie Gordon II says he didn’t necessarily choose the No. 31 jersey — but that it fits

Said it’s a reminder of the 31 teams that passed on him on draft weekend pic.twitter.com/Yhj9UFRqru

— Marcel Louis-Jacques (@Marcel_LJ) May 9, 2025

Gordon’s draft stock took a hit this season, as Oklahoma State struggled to a 3-9 finish in a season where just about nothing went to plan. The Dolphins ended up drafting Gordon in the sixth round, 179th overall.

That came after Gordon burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2023. He led the nation in rushing with 1,732 yards that season to go with 21 touchdowns. His ability as a receiver sometimes gets lost because of his bruising stature, but Gordon also had 330 receiving yards in 2023, including a 116-yard game against Kansas. He was an All-American and won the Doak Walker, given to the nation’s best running back.

“I think the ’23 tape was very impressive,” Miami coach Mike McDaniel said after the draft. “Based upon our interactions with him, we feel optimistic that is the version that we’re gonna improve upon moving forward, which will be up to him and what he does with this opportunity.”

Had Gordon been draft eligible after 2023, he almost certainly would’ve been taken higher than the sixth round, but it sounds as if the Dolphins got an uber-motivated, 6-foot-1, 226-pound running back putting on that teal.