ESSENDON'S star trio of recruits have been given their jumper numbers for next year, while former skipper Jobe Watson's No.4 has been handed on to a youngster.

Jake Stringer and Devon Smith will wear No.25 and No.5 respectively, while former Gold Coast defender Adam Saad will don the No.42 that he also wore at the Suns.

Meanwhile, Kyle Langford said it was a 'massive honour' to take over Watson's old number after 31 games in No.30. 

"I'm pretty humbled to be offered the opportunity to wear the guernsey by Woosha and Jobe," Langford said.  

"Leon Baker, Gavin Wanganeen and obviously Jobe are famous and successful players for the club. To have been able to play and train alongside Jobe, and then to be able to wear the jumper after him, it's a massive honour.

"Jobe said 'Do it for yourself, don't do it for anyone else, and you've worked hard and earned the honour of wearing it'."

Stringer's new number has a rich history of goals with Scott Lucas wearing No.25 throughout an excellent 270-game career for the Bombers, including the 2000 premiership. The left-footer booted 471 goals.

"Woosha (coach John Worsfold) rang me and let me know that I was going to wear 25, and I was pretty excited," Stringer told essendonfc.com.au.

"Obviously having Roger Merrett and Scotty Lucas wear it before me, it's always good to go in and understand the long history of great players that have worn the number before you.

"As a player, to get your name cemented on the locker with a premiership is a huge honour, and I'll go out there and make sure I have a good pre-season, and fingers crossed in round one I'm ready to go and can pull on the jumper."

Ex-Giant Smith takes on perhaps the club's most famous number with James Hird and Terry Daniher previous owners of No.5, while Brent Stanton had the number most recently.

"Terry Daniher has played 290-odd games, is a premiership captain and has more All-Australians than I've played games, so it's pretty exciting," Smith said.

"It's a pretty cool feeling to look at the names on the back of your locker and see what they've done. I know many kids that used to run around thinking they were Hirdy with long sleeve jumper, and most recently Brent Stanton played 255 games, and in this day and age that's a huge effort."

Saad stuck with the number he wore at the Suns.

"I was 42 in my TAC Cup days and had the opportunity to wear that at Gold Coast, I want to make this number my own. I'm very honoured to be able to wear it for Essendon," Saad said.

"Nathan Lovett-Murray was a great player for this club, and when I pull the number 42 on next year, I will wear it with pride.

"I try to play every game the best I can, play my role for the team, and I'm really excited to pull on the new colours."

The draftees have also been allocated lockers: Jordan Houlahan (24), Brandon Zerk-Thatcher (30), Matt Guelfi (35), Trent Mynott (39) and Luke Lavender (40).