Sports

Multiple NFL Rookies Prank Called With One Draft Pick Duped By Same Number As Shedeur Sanders

#2025 NFL Draft
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Shedeur Sanders, Tyler Warren, and Isaiah Bond were all allegedly duped by prank calls at the NFL Draft.

iStockphoto / © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images / © Scott Wachter-Imagn Images


The NFL had a leak from the inside that affected numerous rookies on draft night in the form of prank calls. It’s unclear if all were connected, though at least one first round pick claims to have been duped by the same number as Shedeur Sanders.

Sanders’ con made the majority of the headlines given his popularity, but more fessed up to being contacted by non-NFL personnel after the fact.

Some draft prospects were reportedly given phone numbers available unavailable to the public. The only people with access were GMs, coaches, scouts, and staffers on professional organizations.

Sanders was one of those players to purchase a second phone in order to provide protection from the calls. Still, a prankster was able to get his hands on the digits leading to a viral moment in the first round of the NFL Draft.

The caller claimed to be New Orleans Saints GM Mickey Loomis, with the insinuation that Sanders would be picked by the franchise.

It wasn’t, and he didn’t. Instead, Shedeur Sanders fell all the way to the fifth round, eventually going at No. 144 to Cleveland. Despite being tricked, the passer was able to brush the prank call aside as he continued through the NFL Draft process.

Now, details have emerged on both the caller and other potential victims in the scheme.

Shedeur Sanders’ prank caller was identified.

A video emerged online showing the other end of the conversation. The caller was ID’d as Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich’s son, Jax.

Jax Ulbrich posted an apology after being linked to the call. He’d curiously gone MIA on his social media accounts as smoke surrounded his possible involvement.

The coach won’t be punished by the Falcons for his son’s antics. The team released a statement on the situation Sunday.

Earlier in the week, Jax Ulbrich unintentionally came across the draft contact phone number for Shedeur Sanders off an open iPad while visiting his parent’s home and wrote the phone number down to later conduct a prank call. Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the data exposure or any facets of the prank…

The Atlanta Falcons do not condone this behavior and send our sincerest apologies to Shedeur Sandres and his family, who we have been in contact with to apologize to, as well as facilitate an apology directly from Jax to the Sanders family.

-Atlanta Falcons

Jax Ulbrich fessed up to being the caller responsible for duping Shedeur Sanders. Did he contact others?

Tyler Warren says the same number called him before Sanders.

Warren was another first round draft prospect. He claims to have been contacted by the “same number and/or area code” per Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports.

Warren was called with the Jets on the clock at pick No. 7. He would not be selected until No. 14 by the Indianapolis Colts. The NFL is investigating the prank call further according to Schultz.

In all, at least a handful of players were contacted throughout the weekend. Mike Florio of NBC Sports said another player was called 30 minutes after being selected only to be told he was being traded.

Syracuse QB Kyle McCord says he was pranked before being picked by the Philadelphia Eagles. UConn offensive lineman Chase Lundt claims to have been called “four to five times” from those pretending to be affiliated with NFL teams. He was selected at No. 206 by the Buffalo Bills.

“I got a few prank calls earlier in the day from 609 and 215 numbers. When I got that 215 call, I was thinking it was just another prank call, but picking up the phone and having Howie Roseman on the other side was pretty cool.”

-Kyle McCord

On Sunday, video of a possible sixth prank was posted to social media. Former Texas and Alabama wide receiver Isaiah Bond was seemingly duped by a Crimson Tide fan. That interaction, too, went viral after Bond went undrafted.

At this moment, it’s unclear whether the calls are related. Tyler Warren’s claim that his prank call came from the same number on the same day as Shedeur Sanders’ adds to that speculation.

An NFL investigation into the draft calls is underway. Fans and players, alike, will be eager to hear the findings.