Photo Credit:Perry Knotts/Getty
The National Football League is tightening its handling of player data ahead of the draft, introducing new restrictions aimed at preventing a repeat of last year’s prank call involving Shedeur Sanders.
According to reports, each franchise will now designate just one staff member to access draft prospects’ contact details. That individual will be responsible for protecting the information and ensuring it is not shared beyond authorized use. The league will provide the details directly to that single point of contact within each team’s football operations department.
The policy change follows an incident during the 2025 draft cycle that drew widespread attention. Jax Ulbrich, the son of Jeff Ulbrich, made a prank call to Sanders while the quarterback was waiting to be selected. Ulbrich reportedly obtained Sanders’ phone number from an unsecured device at home, leading to a situation that exposed weaknesses in how sensitive information was handled.
During the call, Sanders believed he was speaking with Mickey Loomis, the general manager of the New Orleans Saints. The caller falsely suggested that Sanders would be picked soon, leaving him confused and briefly misled during a pivotal moment in his career.
The incident was particularly frustrating for Sanders, who had already taken precautions ahead of the draft. Reports indicated that he changed his phone number and shared it only with league officials and team representatives in an effort to avoid exactly this kind of disruption.
Following an investigation, the Atlanta Falcons were fined for failing to safeguard confidential information. The organization received a $250,000 penalty, while Jeff Ulbrich was fined an additional $100,000 for his role in the lapse.
Jax Ulbrich later issued a public apology, acknowledging the seriousness of his actions. He described the prank as a mistake and expressed regret for interfering with an important milestone in Sanders’ life.
Despite the incident, Sanders went on to be selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th pick in the 2025 draft. He later made his debut
during the season and eventually stepped into a starting role after an injury to a teammate.
With the new safeguards in place, the NFL is aiming to restore confidence in the draft process and ensure that prospects can experience one of the most significant moments of their careers without unnecessary interference.
The policy change follows an incident during the 2025 draft cycle that drew widespread attention. Jax Ulbrich, the son of Jeff Ulbrich, made a prank call to Sanders while the quarterback was waiting to be selected. Ulbrich reportedly obtained Sanders’ phone number from an unsecured device at home, leading to a situation that exposed weaknesses in how sensitive information was handled.
During the call, Sanders believed he was speaking with Mickey Loomis, the general manager of the New Orleans Saints. The caller falsely suggested that Sanders would be picked soon, leaving him confused and briefly misled during a pivotal moment in his career.
The incident was particularly frustrating for Sanders, who had already taken precautions ahead of the draft. Reports indicated that he changed his phone number and shared it only with league officials and team representatives in an effort to avoid exactly this kind of disruption.
Following an investigation, the Atlanta Falcons were fined for failing to safeguard confidential information. The organization received a $250,000 penalty, while Jeff Ulbrich was fined an additional $100,000 for his role in the lapse.
Jax Ulbrich later issued a public apology, acknowledging the seriousness of his actions. He described the prank as a mistake and expressed regret for interfering with an important milestone in Sanders’ life.
Despite the incident, Sanders went on to be selected by the Cleveland Browns with the 144th pick in the 2025 draft. He later made his debut
during the season and eventually stepped into a starting role after an injury to a teammate.
With the new safeguards in place, the NFL is aiming to restore confidence in the draft process and ensure that prospects can experience one of the most significant moments of their careers without unnecessary interference.
