Isaiah Bond’s 2025 NFL Draft experience was a rough one, to say the least. The former Texas Longhorns wide receiver, who transferred from Alabama after two seasons, went undrafted through all three days of the event, which wrapped up on April 26, 2025, at Lambeau Field in Green Bay. Despite entering the draft with high hopes—some had projected him as a Day 2 pick after a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine—Bond’s stock plummeted due to a combination of on-field inconsistencies and serious off-field issues. As of now, at 10:31 AM CDT on April 28, 2025, he has yet to sign with a team as an undrafted free agent, leaving his NFL future uncertain.
Bond’s college stats showed promise but also raised red flags. In his lone season at Texas in 2024, he played 14 games, finishing third on the team with 34 receptions for 540 yards and five touchdowns, plus a rushing score, as the Longhorns reached the College Football Playoff semifinals. Before that, at Alabama, he had 65 catches for 888 yards and five touchdowns across two years, with a highlight being his game-winning touchdown in the 2023 Iron Bowl against Auburn. But scouts weren’t sold on his consistency. His production never topped 48 catches in a season, and his 99 career receptions for 1,428 yards and 10 touchdowns over three years were modest for a supposed top prospect. Analysts noted his struggles with catchable deep balls—despite his speed, which hit 22 mph in a game against UTSA—and his smaller frame at 5-foot-11, 180 pounds, which limited his play strength against physical corners.
The bigger issue, though, was off the field. On April 10, 2025, just two weeks before the draft, Bond turned himself in to Frisco, Texas, police on an outstanding warrant for sexual assault. He posted a $25,000 bond and was released the same day, but the damage was done. Bond denied the allegations, calling them “patently false” in a statement on Instagram, and claimed the encounter was consensual. Less than a week later, on April 16, he filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Northern Texas against his accuser, alleging she made false statements to police for financial gain. His agent, Damien Butler, sent an email to all 32 NFL teams insisting on Bond’s innocence, but the legal cloud loomed large. An affidavit obtained by WFAA revealed the accuser’s claim that Bond offered her money and asked her to sign an NDA after the alleged incident, further complicating the narrative. Teams clearly saw the risk as too high—some analysts reported Bond was removed from draft boards entirely.
As if that weren’t enough, Bond’s draft weekend took an even crueler turn. A video surfaced of a prank call he received during the draft, where an Alabama fan impersonated Atlanta Falcons GM Terry Fontenot, telling Bond the Falcons were drafting him. The caller strung him along for about 30 seconds—“Isaiah! It’s Terry from the Atlanta Falcons… I’m going to give the phone to Arthur Blank right now, but we’re going to put the pick in”—before dropping a “Roll Tide” and hanging up. Bond, who’d been waiting anxiously for a call, bought into the ruse, making the moment all the more heartbreaking. Fans on TikTok and X called the prank “cruel,” with many arguing it highlighted the insensitive treatment athletes face during vulnerable moments like the draft. The incident echoed a similar prank call to Shedeur Sanders, whose father, Deion, also faced draft-day frustrations when the Saints passed on his son for an offensive tackle.
So, will Isaiah Bond get a shot in the NFL? It’s a tough road ahead. His speed and agility—he’s a dynamic runner with the ball, maintaining momentum through cuts, as noted in scouting reports—are NFL-caliber, and he had top-30 visits with teams like the Browns, Packers, Chiefs, Titans, and Falcons before his arrest. But the combination of his legal troubles and underwhelming production scared teams off. The lawsuit might clear his name, but until the case is resolved, most teams will likely wait. An undrafted free agent deal could still come—someone might take a flyer on his talent, especially if he’s acquitted—but the NFL is unforgiving with off-field issues, and Bond’s 99 career catches don’t scream “can’t-miss prospect.” For now, he’s in limbo, a cautionary tale of how quickly draft dreams can unravel.
