Raiders' 1st-round pick Ashton Jeanty also received prank call during NFL Draft, claiming he was traded
Nearly one week after the 2025 NFL Draft concluded, stories are still trickling out about prospects who received prank phone calls on presumably private numbers about being selected.
Add running back Ashton Jeanty to the list, although his story has a bit of a twist. After being selected No. 6 overall by the Las Vegas Raiders, Jeanty received a call telling him that he'd been traded to the Dallas Cowboys. However, the running back's fake news detector immediately set off and he knew that the conversation — which occurred 30 minutes after he'd been picked — was a farce.
Advertisement
"Some dude called me who was like, 'Yeah... we just traded with the Raiders and you're coming to the Cowboys,'" Jeanty explained on the "Stacking the Box" podcast. "I just hung up, bro. I was like, 'come on, bro.'"
The prank call Jeanty received might not have been in quite the same category as the attempts to fool fellow draft picks Shedeur Sanders, Abdul Carter, Mason Graham, Tyler Warren and Kyle McCord. Those calls posing as NFL personnel came before those players were officially selected. And there could be even more that haven't yet been shared or reported.
The call to Sanders was the most infamous because the conversation with someone claiming to be New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis was recorded by Well Off Media, the social media channel run by Sanders' older brother, Deion Sanders Jr. The other side of the call was also filmed and briefly posted publicly on social media before the account was made private.
Advertisement
That particular prank call was outed when the Atlanta Falcons acknowledged that the culprit was the son of defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The team was subsequently fined $250,000 by the NFL, while Ulbrich was docked $100,000 for not securely protecting a number that was supposed to be available only to NFL coaches and executives for contacting draft picks.
Cowboys fans would have loved for their team to add an impact running back like Jeanty with their first round pick after losing Rico Dowdle in free agency. But the Raiders made that a moot point by pouncing on the Boise State star and Heisman Trophy runner-up six spots earlier.
The Cowboys went on to select offensive lineman Tyler Booker with their No. 12 selection and finally drafted running back Jaydon Blue in the fifth round.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Joe Theismann discusses player versatility, quarterback evolution
This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Washington Commanders and NFL legend Joe Theismann about his participation in this year's American Century Championship, which will take place July 9-13 at Edgewood Tahoe featuring Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, his playing days versatility at quarterback and Jayden Daniels comparison. "The (fantasy) contest starts on the 23rd of June for the ACC Fantasy Golf." Said Theismann, "So it's you can log on and pick your teams after the 23rd of the month. So it'll be exciting and fun. Travis Kelce will be another star at Lake Tahoe as well." Theismann, a former league MVP and Super Bowl champion during his tenure with Washington sees a lot of himself in the current starting quarterback, Daniels. Advertisement "To be honest with you, I think Jayden reminds me a little bit of me. I felt like I threw the ball pretty darn well." Said Theismann, "He's got more athleticism, more elusiveness, but I feel like the way he plays the game, and you want to play with your head as well as your body, and I see him making decisions, and I'd say, we were a little bit similar in that regard. Mobile quarterbacks threw the ball well, got the ball out of our hands, and made quick decisions. A little bit elusive when it came to using your legs to, you know, gain yards. So I'd say Jayden's A little. I'm nowhere near as good as he is, but I did okay." Times have changed regarding the NFL quarterback position. Today's stars, such as Patrick Mahomes, although he has expressed interest, do not have to punt or return kicks while leading their team on offense. Theisman shared his unique experiences as both a returner and a rare punter in the NFL. "God, no (regarding today's quarterbacks as returners). They pay them too much money to do something stupid. I returned. I did it in college. I returned punts in the first seven games until Terry Hanratty got hurt, and then I became the quarterback in Washington. I returned punts, actually did it in the Canadian Football League." Said Theismann, "When I went to the Redskins, I love playing. I love being on the practice field. I love training camp. I love everything about it, and this was a chance to contribute. So finally, against the (New York) Giants, I had a chance to return punts in 1974 and did it again in 1975 until I became a starting quarterback in 1978. Still, I could always catch punts, and I did it at different levels; it just so happened that I snuck onto the field. George Allen didn't know he was sending me out there, and he did." The legendary quarterback owns a distinct special-teams record that he wants to remain unchallenged. Advertisement "George was the kind of guy. If you could prove something to him, he would let you go with it, and I wouldn't mess up the first catch. So, I wound up being the returner, which the punt returning pales in comparison to my one-yard punt against the Chicago Bears, of which I'm a record holder in the National Football League." Said Theismann, "So, and actually, it's a contested title because from what I understand, Sean Landetta, at that same place in Soldier Field, is credited with a minus six-yard kick, but I claim that Sean never touched the ball. Therefore, it could not have been a punt. So, I am the worst punter in the history of the National Football League. And so that's the title I take with me. " The annual tournament awards $750,000 in prize money, much of which the celebrity players donate to local and national charities. Over the years, nearly $8 million has been donated to non-profit causes. Network television exposure on NBC and a first-place prize of $150,000 make the celebrity tournament one of the most prestigious in the golf world. Check out the website for more information about the American Century Championship . This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Joe Theismann discusses player versatility, quarterback evolution
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Joe Theismann discusses player versatility, quarterback evolution
Joe Theismann discusses player versatility, quarterback evolution This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Washington Commanders and NFL legend Joe Theismann about his participation in this year's American Century Championship, which will take place July 9-13 at Edgewood Tahoe featuring Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, his playing days versatility at quarterback and Jayden Daniels comparison. "The (fantasy) contest starts on the 23rd of June for the ACC Fantasy Golf." Said Theismann, "So it's you can log on and pick your teams after the 23rd of the month. So it'll be exciting and fun. Travis Kelce will be another star at Lake Tahoe as well." Theismann, a former league MVP and Super Bowl champion during his tenure with Washington sees a lot of himself in the current starting quarterback, Daniels. "To be honest with you, I think Jayden reminds me a little bit of me. I felt like I threw the ball pretty darn well." Said Theismann, "He's got more athleticism, more elusiveness, but I feel like the way he plays the game, and you want to play with your head as well as your body, and I see him making decisions, and I'd say, we were a little bit similar in that regard. Mobile quarterbacks threw the ball well, got the ball out of our hands, and made quick decisions. A little bit elusive when it came to using your legs to, you know, gain yards. So I'd say Jayden's A little. I'm nowhere near as good as he is, but I did okay." Times have changed regarding the NFL quarterback position. Today's stars, such as Patrick Mahomes, although he has expressed interest, do not have to punt or return kicks while leading their team on offense. Theisman shared his unique experiences as both a returner and a rare punter in the NFL. "God, no (regarding today's quarterbacks as returners). They pay them too much money to do something stupid. I returned. I did it in college. I returned punts in the first seven games until Terry Hanratty got hurt, and then I became the quarterback in Washington. I returned punts, actually did it in the Canadian Football League." Said Theismann, "When I went to the Redskins, I love playing. I love being on the practice field. I love training camp. I love everything about it, and this was a chance to contribute. So finally, against the (New York) Giants, I had a chance to return punts in 1974 and did it again in 1975 until I became a starting quarterback in 1978. Still, I could always catch punts, and I did it at different levels; it just so happened that I snuck onto the field. George Allen didn't know he was sending me out there, and he did." The legendary quarterback owns a distinct special-teams record that he wants to remain unchallenged. "George was the kind of guy. If you could prove something to him, he would let you go with it, and I wouldn't mess up the first catch. So, I wound up being the returner, which the punt returning pales in comparison to my one-yard punt against the Chicago Bears, of which I'm a record holder in the National Football League." Said Theismann, "So, and actually, it's a contested title because from what I understand, Sean Landetta, at that same place in Soldier Field, is credited with a minus six-yard kick, but I claim that Sean never touched the ball. Therefore, it could not have been a punt. So, I am the worst punter in the history of the National Football League. And so that's the title I take with me. " The annual tournament awards $750,000 in prize money, much of which the celebrity players donate to local and national charities. Over the years, nearly $8 million has been donated to non-profit causes. Network television exposure on NBC and a first-place prize of $150,000 make the celebrity tournament one of the most prestigious in the golf world.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Steelers preparing a big workload for Jaylen Warren after Najee Harris's departure
Steelers running back Jaylen Warren needs to be ready for a lot of carries this season. Last year's leading rusher, Najee Harris, left in free agency. Warren was the Steelers' No. 2 back in 2024, with 120 carries for 511 yards and one touchdown, and this year Pittsburgh plans to let him carry the load. When asked if Warren can handle more touches, Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin answered, "Certainly." Advertisement Warren said his whole offseason has been about getting ready for a big workload. "I approached this offseason differently," Warren said, via "I did a lot more things for longevity wise, instead of my old-school training like just getting the cleats on and running 30 hills. I had to adapt. This game is about longevity. And like they say, the best ability is availability." Last season, the Steelers ran the ball 533 times in 17 games, and Harris had 263 of them, or just under half. Quarterbacks Justin Fields and Russell Wilson combined for 105, and they've been replaced by Aaron Rodgers, who doesn't run as often. Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith said when you lose half your carries, a running back needs to step up. "Generally you've got 500-plus carries in a regular season," Smith said. "You're talking about 1,100 snaps. You would like to be on the plus side of 500. That means you're in more four-minute. Let's leave it at 500 carries to divvy up. That's kind of where you're at. Then obviously losing Naj, Naj for four years here, he was very durable, and that's a lot of missing carries." Warren said he has "no doubt" that he can pick up the slack.
