Before edge rusher Abdul Carter got a real call from the Giants that would make him the third overall pick in the 2025 draft, he got a fake call telling him the Jaguars were taking him at No. 2.

Carter’s agent, Drew Rosenhaus, told Adam Schefter of ESPN.com about the phony phone call.

“It’s unfortunate that these private numbers are getting to the people making the prank calls,” Rosenhaus told Schefter. “Abdul and I knew it was BS and didn’t even tell his family about the call.”

Not every prank call necessarily traces to an NFL team. It’s unclear whether the NFL will be able to prove that any of the other prank calls started with someone from one of the teams disclosing confidential information.

Schefter reports that the league continues to investigate other prank calls. At least two other first-round picks — Colts tight end Tyler Warren and Commanders offensive lineman Josh Conerly Jr. — received them. Another player got a call after being drafted; the caller said he had been traded.

It happened last year, too. Eagles cornerback Cooper DeJean was pranked.

By next year, it likely won’t be happening. The league will (or should) tighten up its procedures. And the players will be more leery about the possibility that the call isn’t real.