The NFL is facing issues with prank calls to draft prospects, following the league's decision to provide single-purpose phones to ensure smooth communication during the draft. Shedeur Sanders was notably pranked with such a phone, which was not in his name and had been issued by the NFL only days before the draft. The numbers associated with these phones were distributed to a large number of NFL and club employees, leading to their frequent leakage. As a result, multiple prospects, including Sanders, received prank calls, disrupting the draft process and raising concerns about privacy and security. The NFL acknowledges the issue and is investigating, yet it appears the league may need to refine its communication strategy to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The NFL provided Shedeur Sanders and other draft prospects with single-purpose phones to ensure seamless communication and avoid awkward interruptions during the draft telecast. However, the distribution of these phone numbers to a wide audience led to frequent leaks.

Shedeur Sanders' phone number was leaked, resulting in a viral prank call orchestrated by the son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, highlighting the consequences of such leaks.

The league's issuance of phones aimed to facilitate immediate contact between teams and prospects, but the lack of control over the distribution of numbers resulted in prank calls affecting several players.

The NFL's investigation into the prank calls must address its own practices, as the numbers were shared with an estimated 2,000 employees, including non-essential personnel like media and equipment managers.

The league is facing public scrutiny over these incidents, which have affected high-profile prospects such as Sanders and others who received prank calls before being officially selected by teams.

In light of these issues, the NFL may need to limit the distribution of phone numbers and reevaluate its communication protocols to maintain the integrity of the draft process.

Despite the NFL's intention to enhance the draft experience, the widespread dissemination of phone numbers has led to privacy breaches, necessitating a reassessment of how these devices are managed and who has access to them.