Indiana expert says what every Jets fan needs to hear about D'Angelo Ponds

On Night 2 of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Jets had only one draft pick: the 44th overall in the second round.

Thanks to the Haason Reddick trade, the Jets didn't have a third-round pick, so Darren Mougey knew he had to make his lone selection on Friday night a good one.

He started with a trade back, moving down from No. 44 to No. 50 in a deal with the Detroit Lions. The Jets net an extra fourth-round pick in the deal.

Then, New York finally made their pick. Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds, a fringe first-rounder throughout the pre-draft process, made it all the way to the Jets in the middle of the second round.

What is new Jets DB D'Angelo Ponds bringing to the table?

There's a reason why some evaluators had Ponds as a first-round talent, but he slid to Day 2. The primary concerns lie with his height.

At 5-foot-9, he's going to have a hard time blanketing the NFL's taller wide receivers in coverage. But that doesn't mean there isn't still a pathway for Ponds to be a productive professional player.

Despite his size, he plays bigger than he actually is, and that's exactly what Hoosier State of Mind's Connor Grootenhuis described when evaluating Ponds as a prospect.

"Ponds has seen his stock continue to rise over the past few months. Despite being relatively undersized at 5-foot-9 and 170 pounds, Ponds proved he can shut down top-tier receiving talent in the Big Ten. This past season, he racked up 55 total tackles, nine pass deflections and three interceptions. He also posted an impressive 43.5-inch vertical jump at the combine, which was tied for second among all participants this year and fourth in combine history among cornerbacks."

Connor Grootenhuis

Ponds was a key piece of Indiana's elite defense in 2025 and was even the defensive MVP of both the Rose Bowl and the Peach Bowl.

It remains to be seen just how he'll transition to the NFL, but one thing is clear. He's made with the right stuff.

As FanSided's Mike Luciano noted, Ponds will likely spend most of his time playing nickel cornerback due to his size, but that doesn't mean he won't make an impact for the Jets defense.

Ponds will have the chance to compete for a major role this summer, and if he lives up to his lofty pre-draft expectations, he should carve out a spot for himself by the time Week 1 rolls around.

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