Why BYU QB Bear Bachmeier Won't Wear His No. 47 Jersey in the NFL

BYU Cougars quarterback Bear Bachmeier had the best performance of his career on Saturday night. Being able to lead his team past No. 2 Notre Dame earned him AP Player of the Week honors.

This was Bachmeier's introduction to the national scene. Most people knew his iconic No. 47 and caught his work on highlights, but this put BYU on the map for the first time in four decades. While he's not eligible for the 2027 NFL draft, there's a ton of buzz for him at the moment.

When Bachmeier does make the jump to the NFL, he'll have to find a new number. College football players are allowed numbers in the higher range, which isn't allowed in the NFL. Bachmeier would be subject to pick any number between 0 and 19.

Depending on how high Bachmeier is projected to land in the 2028 NFL Draft, it could force the conversation about the NFL to do something unprecedented.

If the league allowed Bachmeier to retain the No. 47 at the next level and named a rule after him, all parties involved would benefit from jersey sales and marketing. There's also a massive built-in fan base who would buy it all up. The 20-year-old landed on the number from his younger days.

“I used to play running back when I was younger, when I started playing football,” Bachmeier told the Deseret News in August 2025. “When I made the transition to quarterback, I just kept the number. I continued to play middle linebacker up until eighth grade. I like the number. It kind of brings you back to your primitive nature, I guess, when you’re playing."

Bachmeier is currently on the fringe of the Heisman Trophy conversation. This hasn't happened by accident and the rugby-style passer has built his career for this moment. BYU has only lost two games to a single team (Texas Tech) since Bachmeier was named the starter prior to the start of last season. For the Cougars to be ranked No. 1, they'll likely need help from the same Notre Dame team who just left Provo with their first loss of the season.

No. 1 Miami will face the 4th-ranked Irish on Saturday, November 7. The same day that BYU will face Utah in the latest edition of the Holy War. Bachmeier will stay at the center of the conversation as he leads the Cougars to new heights.

BYU won't look too far ahead and will face UCF on Saturday afternoon (3:30 p.m. ET, FOX).