Shedeur Sanders hit with draft prank while – Sports News
Shedeur Sanders suffered a merciless prank final 12 months (Image: Getty Images)
Shedeur Sanders skilled a tumultuous NFL Draft evening when a prank call interrupted his watch occasion amid an already difficult night.
Originally anticipated to be chosen within the first spherical earlier than a important drop down the draft board, Sanders was gathered with household and pals — together with his father, Deion — when he answered a call from somebody impersonating an NFL staff official. The caller spoke briefly earlier than stating: “Have to wait a little longer,” leaving Sanders bewildered.
It subsequently emerged that his cellphone quantity had been leaked and the call was fraudulent, compounding the frustration of the night. Sanders had additionally been broadcasting the occasion reside, hoping to doc his draft journey with followers as occasions unfolded.
Following the prank call and the popularity that he remained unpicked, the reside stream was shut down, capturing solely a fleeting glimpse of the emotional night.
As the draft progressed into the later rounds, Sanders’ decline turned among the many most startling developments, contemplating his earlier first-round expectations.
Sanders was finally chosen by the Cleveland Browns (Image: Getty Images)
The former Colorado Buffaloes quarterback finally obtained his genuine call within the fifth spherical, when the Cleveland Browns selected him with the 144th total decide. Despite spectacular collegiate performances, Sanders confronted questions from scouts concerning his arm energy and decision-making pace heading into the draft. His high-profile standing, influenced by his connection to his father, added complexity to how franchises assessed him.
In this context, the fraudulent call from somebody impersonating an NFL official highlighted the chaotic nature of the draft course of, particularly for a prospect going through such heightened consideration.
An NFL probe into the hoax call directed at Sanders decided that the perpetrator was the son of Jeff Ulbrich, defensive coordinator of the Atlanta Falcons, after he allegedly obtained the quantity by way of an “open iPad.”
The Falcons obtained a $250,000 nice, while Ulbrich was personally penalized $100,000.
It was additionally found that Sanders’ contact data had been distributed in a mass e-mail to over 2,000 people with out confidential designation, highlighting broader issues about participant privateness all through the draft period.
The episode was not an anomaly. In 2025, a number of prospects fell sufferer to comparable hoax calls. Abdul Carter was falsely knowledgeable he can be drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars earlier than they finally selected Travis Hunter, while Ashton Jeanty — later picked by the Las Vegas Raiders — obtained a fraudulent call claiming he had been traded to the Dallas Cowboys.
In response, the NFL has strengthened protocols for 2026, considerably limiting entry to draft prospects’ contact particulars in a bid to forestall related incidents.
“The relevant contact information will be provided by the league to a single point of contact at the club in football operations,” an NFL spokesperson informed PFT by way of e-mail. “This individual will be responsible for safeguarding the numbers.”
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