Jeff Ulbrich’s son Jax Ulbrich is at the center of one of the biggest controversies of the 2025 NFL draft.
Jax, the son of the Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator and his wife Cristina Ulbrich, admitted in an Instagram post on April 27 that he was responsible for prank-calling Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL draft.
On the second day of the draft, before Sanders was selected by the Cleveland Browns as the 144th overall pick, the athlete, who is Deion Sanders’ son, received a call from someone impersonating New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis.
“We’re going to take you with our next pick, man, but you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer, man. Sorry about that,” the caller says in the since-viral video. Sanders appeared confused and replied, “What does that mean?”
Two days later, the Atlanta Falcons issued a statement explaining that Jax had come across Sanders’ draft contact information on an open iPad while visiting his parents’ home and wrote the former Colorado Buffaloes football player’s phone number down to later conduct a prank call.
From his upbringing to what he has said about the prank, here’s everything to know about Jeff Ulbrich’s son Jax.
He was raised in Georgia and New Jersey
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Jeff Ulbrich and his wife Cristina Ulbrich prior to a game at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 14, 2024, in East Rutherford, N.J.
Jeff and his wife Cristina welcomed their son Jax in 2004. Per TAPInto Chatham, he was raised in Georgia before moving to New Jersey while he was in high school.
According to the official Berry College athletics site, he relocated to Chatham Township, N.J.
Jax is a student at Berry College
Berry College Vikings
Jax Ulbrich.
Jax has been a student at Berry College, where he studies business, since 2023, per the school’s athletics site.
According to his bio, he enjoys golfing and lifting in his free time, and his favorite superhero is Iron Man.
He has a brother and a sister
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Jeff Ulbrich speaks to media during the New York Jets OTA Offseason Workout on May 21, 2024, in Florham Park, N.J.
Jax has two siblings: brother Jace and sister Samantha. According to TAPInto Chatham, Jax is older than Jace, who was a sophomore cornerback and wide receiver for Chatham while Jax was a senior.
During a May 2009 interview with the San Francisco 49ers, Jeff shared that all of his kids are athletic and that it’s been “fun” to go to their practices and games.
“This has probably been the best offseason because our kids are getting to that age where you can go to their games and cheer them on,” the former 49ers linebacker said.
He plays football
Per the Berry College athletics site, Jax was captain of Chatham High School’s football team, where he earned Offensive Player of the Year, before playing at the collegiate level.
According to TAPInto Chatham, Jax and his brother Jace didn’t follow in their father’s football footsteps until late in their teenage years because their mom was concerned for their safety.
“I think she’d been through so much with me with injuries and hospital visits, that she wanted to protect them,” Jeff told the outlet.
He shared that his sons were involved in “a little bit of everything,” including basketball and wrestling, except for football.
Jeff added that “it’s always something they wanted to do” and that “playing football gave them an opportunity to make new friends by being part of a team, part of the school,” when they moved to New Jersey from Georgia.
Jax apologized for pranking Shedeur Sanders during the 2025 NFL Draft
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Shedeur Sanders at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis on Feb 28, 2025.
On April 27, Jax released a statement on Instagram in which he admitted to — and apologized for — prank-calling Sanders during the 2025 NFL draft and making a “tremendous mistake.”
“Shedeur, what I did was completely inexcusable, embarrassing, and shameful,” Jax wrote. “I’m so sorry I took away from your moment, it was selfish and childish. I could never imagine getting ready to celebrate one of the greatest moments of your life and I made a terrible mistake and messed with that moment.”
He went on to thank Sanders for accepting his call earlier in the day. “I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me,” he concluded the post.
According to ESPN, the NFL is looking into the situation and investigating how his number was leaked. Meanwhile, per the Falcons’ statement, Jeff was “unaware of the data exposure or any facets of the prank and was made unaware of the above only after the fact.”
Meanwhile, during a press call with reporters after being drafted by the Browns on April 26, Sanders said that he was unbothered by the prank, per ESPN.
“I think, of course, it is childish,” he said. “Of course, I feel like it was a childish act, but everybody does childish things here and there.”
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