Aaron Glenn had an incredible response to D'Angelo Ponds comparisons

This August, when the New York Jets take the field for the first time, it will have been 32 years since head coach Aaron Glenn first suited up for the green and white himself, as a wide-eyed first-round rookie in 1994. I'm not sure if Aaron Glenn was having flashbacks to himself when the brain-trust in Florham Park selected cornerback D'Angelo Ponds out of Indiana in the second round of the draft last month, but everyone else sure was.

The Jets' 50th pick was often compared to Aaron Glenn during the pre-draft process. And as if Glenn was drafting in a mirror, Ponds found his way to the former defensive back's defense as if it were fate. Both standing at about 5'8 and weighing just over 180 pounds, and known for their aggression against bigger opponents, the pick almost made too much sense.

Ponds is sure to have an immediate impact, for better or worse, on the Jets' defense this year. So Glenn will have to learn how to utilize his oh-so-similar protege very soon. And when asked about their similarities, he had the perfect answer.

Aaron Glenn can't stop praising his rookie defensive back

It would be easy for Glenn to take the route of, "I don't want to let the kid get a big head." It would be easy for him to dump water on the Ponds hype-flame. It would be easy to stomp his foot on the brakes. His former head coach, Bill Parcells, certainly would have.

But Glenn is his own man. Whether that's a good thing or a bad thing still remains to be seen. And when he was asked on Friday to give his two cents on all the comparisons between him and the rookie, in typical Aaron Glenn fashion, he had his own unique take on things.

It's clear that Glenn has no intention of putting a ceiling on Ponds' potential. Rather than indicate that the rookie still has a long way to go before he ever deserves to be compared to a 14-year veteran, which Glenn was, he wants to make it perfectly clear that he himself is just lucky to be mentioned in the same tier of athletes as his new cornerback.

If we're to take Glenn at face value, based on what he said Friday, Ponds should one day surpass his head coach as a player.

"I wish people looked at me and said I played like him because he's a damn good player."

Aaron Glenn, NY Jets' Head Coach

There's ample reason for such glowing reviews of the former Indiana defensive back. After transferring from James Madison University after his freshman season, along with a wave of Dukes who followed head coach Curt Cignetti to Indiana, Ponds broke out, proving he was a true NFL talent.

In two seasons with the Hoosiers, he put up a combined 118 tackles, 20 passes deflected, five interceptions, an average Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 87.2, and an average defensive grade of 86.6. He made his bones with trademark tenacity, allowing him to overcome larger receivers. His role at the next level is likely as a full-time nickel-back, but he's no slouch on the outside when he has to cover out there.

Everything I described matches the archetype of Aaron Glenn, as we've discussed at nauseum. Glenn made three Pro Bowls during his NFL career, including 41 interceptions, 102 passes defended, and 639 tackles.

Given the stark similarities, Glenn should have no issues deploying Ponds efficiently and setting him up for success. He's going to have to if he wants to turn the rocky Jets' defensive ship around. It's all hands on deck. The good news is, according to his latest comments, he's more than confident he's found something real in the Indiana cornerback.

He may have even found another Aaron Glenn.

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