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Aaron Glenn’s heartfelt reaction to D’Angelo Ponds pick will make Jets fans emotional

Now this is what it's all about.
Charlie Baduini
Charlie Baduini

The Jet Press

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The NFL Draft is a spectacle, and in recent years, the traveling aspect has made it feel a bit like a music festival.

But what the draft is all about is college athletes' dreams coming true, and New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn knows a thing or two about that.

Despite spending the last 15 years or so in the scouting or coaching world, Glenn was once an NFL prospect himself and was a first-round pick coming out of Texas A&M in the 1994 NFL Draft.

It made Glenn's reaction when the Jets selected Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds in the second round on Friday night all the more special.

Aaron Glenn looks incredibly proud as Jets select D'Angelo Ponds

Ponds, the 50th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, received comparisons to Glenn throughout the pre-draft process, and as he was selected on Friday night, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah immediately called out the comparison again.

Glenn couldn't help but smile as the pick was called, while general manager Darren Mougey excitedly shouted out the comparison from Jeremiah.

Despite Glenn downplaying comparisons between himself and Ponds, it's not hard to imagine the Jets head coach remembering what his own draft day was like way back when.

"D'Angelo is his own man," Glenn said after Round 2 via ESPN's Rich Cimini. "I know he's a short corner, but his play speaks for itself."

Ponds is an exciting addition to the Jets' secondary and figures to have a chance to compete right away in a somewhat crowded cornerback room.

Incumbent starter Brandon Stephens is likely to hold one spot, while Ponds, 2025 third-round pick Azareye'h Thomas, and free agent addition Nahshon Wright compete for the other starting position.

It's also possible Ponds could end up playing some nickel. Standing at 5-foot-9, he may not have the size to defend against NFL wide receivers on the outside.

Regardless, it's a new defensive chess piece for Glenn and new defensive coordinator Brian Duker to work with. All the various defensive backs the Jets have added this offseason, like Minkah Fitzpatrick, will give New York the flexibility to do as they please.

We'll see how Glenn will be able to mold Ponds as he develops as a smaller-statured cornerback in the NFL.

Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini

Charlie Baduini covers the New York Jets as a site expert for The Jet Press and FanSided. He is a sports journalist based in Northern New Jersey with a wide variety of sports reporting experience in print and broadcast journalism. Baduini’s byline can also be seen on Heavy and The Sporting News, where he covers several teams across the NFL and NBA. His work has been featured in Heavy, Athlon Sports, The Sporting News, Yahoo Sports, MSN, and Yardbarker. He also serves as a seasonal intern for ESPN, working as a production assistant for the Heisman Trophy Ceremony every year since 2022. Baduini has been a Jets fan for as long as he can remember, with his family's fandom dating back to the 1960s when his grandfather, Louis, became a season ticket holder. His family has since held on to the tickets to this day. He is an avid fan of the New York Knicks and New York Mets.