Wide receiver Jalen Tolbert will wear a different number for the Dallas Cowboys in 2024 than he did in his first two NFL seasons. After having No. 18 on his jersey, the former South Alabama standout will wear No. 1.

“It’s a blessing,” Tolbert said. “Not a lot of people get to, obviously, play for the Dallas Cowboys, but also be able to wear a single digit, one that holds a little value like that one, so, like I say, I love the opportunity I have in front of me and looking forward to representing that No. 1 well just as Cedrick Wilson did when he had it on.”

In his most recent season with Dallas, Wilson was the Cowboys’ No. 3 receiver behind CeeDee Lamb and Amari Cooper. With the departure of Michael Gallup in free agency to the Las Vegas Raiders this offseason, that spot in the wide-receiver pecking order is open in Dallas behind Lamb and Brandin Cooks.

“Having the opportunity to fill a role in the offense and be able to step up and make a lot more plays for the offense and for the team as well is special,” Tolbert said. “I’m looking forward to doing it and continuing to grow each and every day to be what the team needs me to be.”

After catching two passes as a third-round rookie in 2022, Tolbert had 22 receptions for 268 yards and two touchdowns last season. That ranked fourth among Dallas’ wide receivers.

Lamb made first-team All-Pro in 2023 with 135 receptions for 1,749 yards and 12 touchdowns. A six-time 1,000-yard receiver, Cooks had 54 receptions for 657 yards and eight touchdowns in his first season with the Cowboys in 2023.

“Not to set them too high, but do what a lot of people think I can’t do that I know that I can do,” Tolbert said. “That’s my goal: To go out and prove to myself I can be who I say I am. Obviously, you hear that all the time, but just go out there and chase greatness. I have two guys that run right along with me in CeeDee and B-Cooks, and looking forward to following in their footsteps and doing what I can to create value on this team and create value in this league.”

Dallas has eight other wide receivers on its roster, including Ryan Flournoy, a sixth-round selection from Southeast Missouri State in this year’s draft. KaVontae Turpin had 12 receptions for 127 yards and three touchdowns and Jalen Brooks had six receptions for 64 yards for the Cowboys last season. The other five wide receivers did not have a reception in 2023.

“I’m looking forward to going out and doing what I’m supposed to do and doing what the team needs me to do,” Tolbert said about 2024. “Obviously, I’ve grown more and more each and every day with my teammates. Obviously, with Brandin Cooks coming in and being a mentor to me helped me a lot in understanding the game and the little things that you need to do to be great at this level. And he’s done it for a long time and having him in my corner, as well, is special, so I know one thing for sure: He’s not going to let me fail, and I’m not going to let myself fail, so that’s a good situation to be in.”

Tolbert caught 82 passes for 1,474 yards and eight touchdowns at South Alabama in 2021, when he received the Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year Award. Tolbert improved his stats as a senior even though he had 64 receptions for 1,085 yards and eight touchdowns in 2020.

Tolbert was a three-sport standout at Mobile’s McGill-Toolen and helped the Yellow Jackets win the AHSAA Class 7A football championship in 2015.

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Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.