Over the following few months, we’ll be breaking down all the rookies added by the Jets throughout the draft and as undrafted free brokers. We proceed in the present day with cornerback D’Angelo Ponds.
The 21-year outdated Ponds is listed at 5’8” and 182 kilos and was the fiftieth general decide within the second spherical out of Indiana. Ponds, who intercepted seven passes in his three-year faculty profession, was an all-Huge Ten first-teamer in 2024 and 2025 and an all-American.
Ponds was a three-star highschool recruit, whose faculty profession started at James Madison below head coach Curt Cignetti.
After three video games in a reserve function with the Dukes, Ponds made his first profession begin after which remained within the beginning line-up for the final 10 video games of the 12 months. He ended the season with 51 tackles, 13 go breakups and two interceptions to earn all-Solar Belt Convention second crew honors.
When Cignetti was employed by Indiana, Ponds was one among various gamers to switch together with him and remained a key a part of his protection as he racked up a profession excessive three interceptions to go together with 57 tackles and 9 go breakups. He was named as an all-Huge Ten first-teamer and second crew all-American.
In 2025, Ponds had one other wonderful season as he was named as a primary crew all-American and as soon as once more earned all-Huge Ten first crew honors. He had a career-high 61 tackles and the primary compelled fumble of his profession to go together with 11 go breakups and two interceptions.
Ponds introduced he was going to enter the 2026 draft on the finish of the season and was extensively thought to be a attainable day two decide. Finally, the Jets chosen Ponds within the second spherical with the fiftieth general decide, having moved again from 44.
Let’s transfer onto some extra in-depth evaluation of what Ponds brings to the desk, primarily based on in-depth analysis and movie examine.
Ponds’ lack of dimension is a real concern as he’s solely 5’8⅝” and his arm size is nearer to 29 inches than 30 inches. It’s nearly unprecedented for a participant on this period to play cornerback on the NFL stage at that dimension, not to mention in a man-to-man function on the surface.
He does, nevertheless, have some wonderful athletic numbers. He posted an excellent 43.5-inch vertical on the scouting mix, which represented the third-highest vertical ever recorded there. He then went on to run a 4.37 within the 40-yard sprint and in addition posted a 4.27 within the brief shuttle at his professional day.
Regardless of his lack of dimension, Ponds performed completely in an out of doors cornerback function throughout his faculty profession. He solely usually lined up within the slot if somebody motioned to the surface or his man motioned into the slot and he stayed on him. He would additionally drop into a security place when there have been no receivers on his facet of the sphere.
The Jets have already stated he’ll get work each exterior and within the slot throughout coaching camp.
In the direction of the tip of final season, Ponds additionally confirmed up on offense on one play. The Hoosiers lined him up within the slot and threw to him behind the road of scrimmage on Third-and-3. He took the go upfield for a acquire of six yards to maneuver the chains.
Ponds posted wonderful protection numbers in faculty, as he gave up a catch on lower than half of his targets. He solely gave up 4 touchdowns in his profession, three of which have been whereas he was nonetheless at JMU. He additionally solely gave up one 40-yard play in his two seasons with the Hoosiers.
He has pure approach and is clean and balanced as he strikes by his transitions, giving him the flexibility to reflect his opponent successfully.
His sub-4.4 velocity normally signifies that he can run stride for stride and stick with any receiver on a deep route, though he could be sluggish to flip his hips sometimes.
Ponds had excellent on-ball manufacturing all through his faculty profession as he was eleventh within the nation in passes defensed in 2023 and led the Huge Ten in 2025.
He has elite monitoring abilities and is aggressive on the catch-point with wonderful closing velocity and timing.
There are some examples on movie of performs the place he fails to get his head turned and as a substitute depends on his pure instincts to disrupt the receiver’s try and catch the ball. This might be one thing he has much less success with when he’s always dealing with NFL-caliber receivers.
Ponds’ seven profession interceptions, together with a pick-six on the primary play of the Faculty Soccer Playoff recreation towards Oregon, showcase a capability to leap routes and good focus and physique management when reacting to tipped or inaccurate throws.
You’ll count on Ponds to wrestle as a tackler along with his lack of dimension, however his missed sort out percentages have been extraordinarily low. You possibly can most likely count on NFL gamers to fall ahead for a number of additional yards when he’s bringing them down in house, although.
Two of his uncommon errors as a tackler got here towards Notre Dame operating again Jeremiyah Love, who beat Ponds to the surface for a 98-yard landing on a play the place he took a foul angle in 2024. He additionally broke this sort out towards Ponds final season.
Usually, although, Ponds does job of limiting yards after the catch, helped by the very fact he’s normally in shut proximity to any receiver who makes a catch towards him.
He had only one compelled fumble in his faculty profession.
Ponds is a prepared contributor towards the run, who is just not afraid to tackle a lot greater blockers and comes downhill with aggression, but in addition performs with self-discipline.
Since he performs on the surface, he doesn’t get an opportunity to make too many performs towards the run however he usually grades out nicely and did rack up 10.5 tackles for loss in his three 12 months profession.
Ponds not often blitzed in faculty, and didn’t file a sack throughout his faculty profession, though he did file a number of pressures. He additionally run blitzed at occasions.
Ponds has been a helpful contributor on particular groups, particularly when dashing punts. He blocked this punt and returned it for a landing final season.
In earlier seasons, he additionally recovered a blocked punt for a landing and blocked one other one which the opposing punter shovelled out of the tip zone for a security.
He has additionally contributed in different areas, together with protecting kicks, the place he had a few tackles as a freshman.
Ponds has the everyday attribute of an undersized defensive again in that he’s tenacious and aggressive, maybe getting away with extra contact than a bigger participant would possibly in some conditions.
The priority about his lack of dimension could be dispelled considerably by how nicely he held up towards future NFL stars akin to Jeremiah Smith, Kenyon Sadiq and Denzel Boston.
Ponds had seven penalties in 2024 however solely had one final season – a crimson zone go interference name. He could make some massive hits in protection, however his timing is sweet and the hits are normally clear.
He additionally shows physicality when disrupting his man’s route and has the flexibility to combat off blockers.
Ponds has good eye self-discipline and may diagnose operating performs, brief passes and coverages nicely.
He has understanding of zone coverages and has the flexibility to return off his task to leap a route.
Ponds is a assured participant whose management function elevated final season at Indiana. He led by instance and in addition grew to become extra vocal because the 12 months went alongside.
As famous, his on-field self-discipline is stable. In all, he had simply 11 penalties in 41 faculty appearances.
Ponds missed one recreation in 2025, the one one among his faculty profession, with what was referred to as a decrease physique harm. He additionally tweaked his ankle previous to the season.
Some analysts advised that Ponds is only a zone nook however, whereas there are some good performs on his spotlight reel that have been made in zone protection, he was remoted in man-to-man protection frequently and sometimes towards the opposing crew’s greatest participant.
He performed on each side of the sphere and, at occasions, was relied upon to cowl on an island, to good impact.
He was a teammate of fellow Jets draft decide Omar Cooper Jr. at Indiana.
Ponds faces an uphill wrestle when it comes to having the ability to persuade some consultants that any participant of his dimension can succeed on the NFL stage with out being restricted when it comes to who he can cowl or how he’s deployed schematically.
Nevertheless, his expertise stage and competitiveness offers him an opportunity to do exactly that. A number of consultants and analysts consider in him and his movie is spectacular.
The diploma of problem when it comes to having the ability to maintain his personal on the NFL stage will enhance considerably for Ponds, particularly if he’s utilized in the same method. Nevertheless with Aaron Glenn – a uncommon instance of an elite nook that’s similarly-sized to Ponds – as a mentor, you’ll be able to’t wager towards him.
As famous, the Jets will begin off by additionally giving him some reps within the slot to see the place he can earn an opportunity to contribute. It could not occur instantly, however New York’s teaching employees will look to develop Ponds as successfully as they will with a view to him hopefully proving he can deal with these exterior duties simply positive.
