Cruel prank call almost made NY Jets fans' Tyler Warren dreams come true

Heading into the 2025 NFL Draft, few players were more commonly linked to the New York Jets than Penn State tight end Tyler Warren. Widely projected to be a top target for the Jets at No. 7 overall, Warren was seen as a perfect fit for a team desperate to add more offensive playmakers.

Many fans and analysts alike fully expected to hear Warren’s name called when the Jets were on the clock. Instead, the Jets opted to bolster their offensive line, selecting Missouri right tackle Armand Membou with their first-round pick.

It was a smart, sensible decision, but that didn't stop Jets fans from briefly wondering what could have been. As it turns out, Warren himself got a cruel taste of what might have been, too.

According to a report from Fox Sports' Jordan Schultz, Warren received a prank call during the draft when the Jets were on the clock at No. 7, leading him to believe for a moment that he was about to be drafted by New York.

The call reportedly came from the same number and/or area code tied to the infamous Shedeur Sanders prank, and the NFL is now reviewing both incidents as part of a broader investigation.

Tyler Warren was pranked into believing he was drafted by the NY Jets

This latest revelation only adds another bizarre layer to the already chaotic story involving former Jets defensive coordinator and interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.

Ulbrich’s son, Jax, admitted to prank calling Sanders during the draft, leading to an NFL investigation and a public apology from both Jax and the Atlanta Falcons.

Now, it appears Warren may have been caught up in the same prank web. It's a cruel and confusing twist for a player who had every reason to believe his NFL dream was coming true.

Ultimately, the Jets chose to pass on Warren at No. 7, opting instead to draft Membou and solidify their offensive line. Warren didn’t have to wait too much longer, though.

The Indianapolis Colts selected him with the No. 14 overall pick, making him the second tight end off the board behind Michigan’s Colston Loveland, who went to the Chicago Bears four picks earlier.

The Jets still managed to address the tight end position later on, drafting LSU’s Mason Taylor with the No. 42 overall pick in the second round.

While Taylor is a promising prospect in his own right, it’s hard not to wonder how different things might have looked, both for the Jets and Warren, if a few dominoes had fallen differently on Thursday night.

In the end, the Jets found their tight end, and Tyler Warren found his NFL home. But for one fleeting moment, thanks to a cruel prank call, it almost felt like both sides were destined for a very different reality.

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