National Football League

Report: NFL hopeful pranked on draft day

Published Apr. 27, 2012 1:00 a.m. ET

foxsports

Rutgers wideout Mohamed Sanu thought he was receiving the phone call he dreamed about his whole life during the NFL Draft only to find out he was the victim of a cruel prank.

The Rutgers wide receiver was watching Thursday night's first round closely when his phone rang and the voice on the other end, claiming to be from the Bengals, told him the team was about to select him with the 27th pick, SI.com reported Friday.

Sanu's agent, Mike McCartney, immediately tweeted the news as the 22-year-old receiver — projected as a second- or third-round pick — began celebrating with family and friends.

But the party came to an abrupt halt as NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stepped to the podium at New York's Radio City Music Hall and announced Cincinnati had selected Wisconsin guard Kevin Zeitler.

"This is a great kid, I guarantee you, and someone played a cruel joke on him," McCartney told SI.com. "It is unreal that someone would do that, but it happened."

The Rutgers' star appeared to be taking the mean-spirited prank in stride Friday, writing on Twitter, "Thank God for giving me another day and another opportunity to chase my dream ... #thankfulandblessed."

Sanu's fortunes are expected to turn around quickly with the second and third rounds getting underway Friday night at 7 p.m. ET.