Latavius Murray picks new number in honor of late best friend

Latavius Murray had no plans to keep No. 28 when he signed with the Minnesota Vikings last week, but he's didn't pick his new digits at random.

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The new Vikings running back will wear No. 25 on his jersey next season as a tribute to his late best friend, Jonathan Diaz, who died in November at age 26.

"That was one of his favorite numbers, so I'll do that to remember him," said Murray, according to the Vikings' website.

Diaz was one of Murray's high school teammates. He worked as a teacher in Syracuse, N.Y., and was shot to death after an altercation at a bar.

Murray wore 28 with the Oakland Raiders and in college at Central Florida.