Giants No. 3 overall pick Abdul Carter was victim of NFL Draft prank call

Abdul Carter, selected No. 3 overall in the 2025 NFL Draft by the New York Giants, was the victim of a prank call, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Carter received a call while the Jacksonville Jaguars were on the clock with pick No. 2, and the caller informed the former Penn State pass rusher he would be the selection.

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

Moments later, Carter got the real phone call. It was the Giants, who told Carter he would be the pick.

Carter is just the latest top prospect to reveal he was prank called during the NFL Draft. Other players who were faked out by pranksters included Shedeur Sanders, Mason Graham, Tyler Warren and Kyle McCord. Sanders received a prank call from Jax Ulbrich, the 21-year-old son of Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich. The NFL fined the Falcons $250,000 and Jeff Ulbrich $100,000. The league is investigating the other series of calls.

Lawrence Taylor denies Abdul Carter permission to wear No. 56 with New York Giants

With the draft in the rearview, Carter now embarks on his NFL journey in New York. After going No. 3 overall, Carter spoke about his desire to wear No. 56, if Lawrence Taylor gave him permission. Carter hopes to follow in Taylor’s footsteps in New York after going as the top edge rusher in the draft.

However, Taylor doesn’t sound like he’ll give Carter his number. While speaking with the New York Post, he encouraged Carter to chart his own path.

“I know he would love to wear that number, but hey, I think it’s retired,” Taylor told Steve Serby. “Get another number, I don’t care if it’s double zero and then make it famous.”

The Giants retired Taylor’s No. 56 jersey in 1994, and anyone who wants to wear it would need permission to do so. A similar situation played out in Tennessee, where Cam Ward got Warren Moon’s blessing to wear his No. 1. Carter, however, will have to decide on his own number.

On3’s Nick Schultz contributed to this report.