The culprit behind the viral prank call made to Shedeur Sanders during his unexpected slide in the 2025 NFL Draft has officially been identified.
On Saturday (April 26), a video posted by Well Off Media, the company owned by Deion Sanders Jr., captured Jax Ulbrich — the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich — impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis in a cruel prank on Sanders.
In the video, Jax Ulbrich, pretending to be Loomis, called Sanders to falsely inform him that the Saints, one of the teams discussed as a potential landing spot for Shedeur prior to the draft, were selecting him with their third-round pick.
A New Orleans Saints helmet on the bench before the game against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium on September 19, 2021 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
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“We’re going to take you with our next pick right here,” Ulbrich told Sanders. He then quickly added, “But you’re going to have to wait a little longer, man. Sorry about that,” before abruptly hanging up, leaving Sanders visibly confused and asking, “What does that mean?”
The prank came at an especially sensitive time for Sanders, who was enduring a stressful and longer-than-expected wait to hear his name called in the draft. Given that only NFL personnel had access to players’ draft contact numbers, the hoax immediately raised concerns across the league.
According to a statement released by the Atlanta Falcons, “Earlier in the week, Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of defensive coordinator Jeff 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 number down to later conduct a prank call.
Shedeur Sanders #QB13 of Colorado looks on during the NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 01, 2025 in Indianapolis, Indiana.
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“Jeff Ulbrich was unaware of the data exposure or any facets of the prank and was made aware of the above only after the fact. The Atlanta Falcons do not condone this behavior and send our sincere apologies to Shedeur Sanders 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.”
Facing immediate backlash, Jax Ulbrich issued a public apology to Sanders on social media the following day, expressing his regret for his actions and revealing that he had personally spoken with Sanders earlier that day, though he did not share details about their conversation.
“On Friday night I made a tremendous mistake. Shedeur, what I did was completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful,” Ulbrich wrote on Instagram.
“I’m so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish. I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life and I made a terrible mistake and messed with that moment. Thank you for accepting my call earlier today, I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”
Fortunately for Sanders, the story did not end with the prank. Later that Saturday, he was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round with the 144th overall pick, giving him a new opportunity to launch his professional career.
A detail view of a Cleveland Browns helmet before the game against the Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns Stadium on November 05, 2023 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Jason Miller/Getty Images
However, the incident has sparked a broader concern within the NFL. Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed that Sanders was not the only individual affected by unauthorized prank calls, noting that multiple players had their private draft-day numbers breached.
The NFL has since confirmed that the league is investigating additional incidents related to prank calls during the draft process.
Rated as one of the top quarterback prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft in various mock drafts, Sanders was initially expected to be selected in the first round by many pundits.
Head coach Deion Sanders of the Colorado Buffaloes talks with quarterback Shedeur Sanders #2 during first half of the NCAAF game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona.
Christian Petersen/Getty Images
However, the polarizing signal caller’s draft stock would slip further than many had fathomed, given the talent displayed during his time at Jackson State University and at the University of Colorado, where he set multiple single-season records.
Much of the discussion surrounding Sanders’ fall to the fifth round revolved around his perceived “entitlement” and arrogance, as alleged by one anonymous NFL assistant coach.
Shedeur Sanders attends the quarterfinal game of the Emirates NBA Cup between the New York Knicks and the Atlanta Hawks at Madison Square Garden on December 11, 2024 in New York City. The Atlanta Hawks defeated the New York Knicks 108-100 to advance to the semifinal round.
Elsa/Getty Images
Others also pointed to coaches and executive’s alleged disdain for Shedeur’s father, NFL Hall of Famer and University of Colorado head football coach Deion Sanders, as reason for teams passing on selecting him earlier.
Whatever the case, Shedeur is now a Cleveland Brown and looks to continue his quest to be “legendary” as he embarks on his professional journey in the NFL.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders #2 of the Colorado Buffaloes celebrates as he walks off the field following the NCAAF game against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium on October 07, 2023 in Tempe, Arizona. The Buffaloes defeated the Sun Devils 27-24.
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