Former University of Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft—far later than many projections had him going. But Sanders’ fall down the draft board wasn’t the only headline involving him that weekend.
On April 26, during Day 3 of the draft, Sanders received a call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints General Manager Mickey Loomis. The caller told Sanders the Saints would take him with their next pick, only for Sanders to realize it was a prank. The moment was captured on video and shared widely on social media, adding an unusual—and frankly inappropriate—layer of drama to what should have been a celebratory event for the young quarterback.
It was later revealed that the prank caller was 21-year-old Jax Ulbrich, a student-athlete at Berry College and the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. Jax had obtained Sanders’ private number by copying it from his father’s open iPad while visiting his parents’ home. Every year the NFL distributes confidential player contact information to teams in advance of the draft, and the Falcons failed to adequately protect it.
As a result, the NFL fined the Falcons $250,000 and Jeff Ulbrich $100,000 for failing to prevent the disclosure of sensitive information. Neither the Falcons nor Ulbrich is appealing the fines.
Though the prank call didn’t appear to directly impact Sanders’ draft position, it did add more adversity to what was already a grueling and emotional few days for the Sanders family. At the very least, it was a cruel and thoughtless disruption of a once-in-a-lifetime moment for a young athlete. That this stunt came from the son of a current NFL coach makes it all the more troubling. Jax Ulbrich’s actions were immature and reckless, and while his father retained his job, this kind of lapse in judgment could have easily jeopardized a career or more.
Shedeur, the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, entered the draft with high expectations after a standout season at Colorado. Expecting to be drafted inside the top ten, his slide to pick 144 was unprecedented and left many in the sports world wondering what could have contributed to his plummet.
Although there is little doubt that Sanders has the arm talent, poise and leadership to succeed at the next level, multiple reports suggested that some NFL teams were turned off by what they perceived as arrogance or entitlement during the pre-draft process. Scouts and executives were reportedly wary of Sanders’ on-camera persona—one that has been heavily curated through Deion Sanders Jr.’s YouTube channel and the family’s broader social media presence. Some said they believed that Sanders was more focused on building a brand than being a student of the game.
Fair or not, that perception may have influenced how teams evaluated him, especially in a league where locker room culture, humility and coachability remain prized traits. Teams are known to dig deep into a player’s character during the draft process, and Sanders’ larger-than-life public image, paired with the constant media attention surrounding his father’s high-profile coaching tenure at Colorado, may have worked against him.
Being the son of a Hall of Famer brought increased exposure, but also heightened scrutiny. Whether his fall to the fifth round was the result of on-field concerns or the media circus that surrounded him is difficult to say, but it’s clear that distractions clouded his draft experience.
The NFL is continuing to investigate other prank calls made to players during the draft. However, the league confirmed that those calls were unrelated to the one made to Sanders by Ulbrich’s son.
Ultimately, Sanders lands in Cleveland, where he’ll have the chance to reset and refocus on football. The situation surrounding his draft weekend may have been chaotic, but Sanders now has a platform to prove his worth in what is a wide-open Browns QB room.
Elías Stowell Alemán can be contacted at
estowellaleman@kscequinox.com
