Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers sixth-round pick Will Howard was one of several NFL prospects caught up in a cruel draft day trend that has been making headlines, prank calls meant to mimic the moment a player gets selected by a team.
“I had gotten prank called a couple times, so it was actually nice to have a real one,” Howard told Missi Matthews in a one-on-one interview via Steelers.com.
Howard eventually received the real call from head coach Mike Tomlin in the sixth round, but by then, the confusion and frustration had already taken a toll. What should have been one of the happiest moments of his life became an emotional roller coaster.
For most prospects, a call on draft weekend means their NFL dream is becoming reality. Years of training, sacrifice, and dedication lead to that single phone call. But when the call turns out to be a joke, it can feel like a punch to the gut, and this year, that experience hit multiple players.
The most publicized case came on Day 2 when Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders received a prank call during a live stream. Believing he was being selected by the New Orleans Saints, Sanders celebrated, only to find out it was fake. The situation escalated when it was revealed that Jax Ulbrich, the son of Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich, was involved. The NFL later fined the elder Ulbrich for his connection to the incident.
Howard and Sanders were not alone. Reports indicate that Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord, Penn State linebacker Abdul Carter, Texas wide receiver Isaiah Bond, Oregon offensive tackle Josh Conerly Jr., and UConn offensive tackle Chase Lundt all received similar prank calls.
With so many high-profile names involved, it raises a serious question, how are the phone numbers of top draft prospects ending up in the hands of prank callers? And what can the league do to prevent it from happening again?
For Howard, the real call eventually came, and now he can shift his focus to the opportunity ahead. But for a handful of prospects, the journey to the NFL started with an unnecessary twist before the celebration could truly begin.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers QB Will Howard Among Several Victims of Draft Day Prank Calls
