Potential Jets draft target responds to Aaron Glenn comparisons

D’Angelo Ponds, Elijah Sarratt, and Jamari Sharpe traded helmets for red shirts and headsets Thursday morning, making a celebratory appearance at a local Raising Cane’s in Bloomington, IN, after Indiana's historic national championship victory on Monday night.

The trio worked a brief “shift” and fielded questions from reporters about everything from their time at Indiana to their futures in the NFL. Ponds, in particular, confirmed his intention to declare for the 2026 NFL Draft, where he is seen as a potential Day 2 pick.

The undersized cornerback has drawn comparisons to New York Jets head coach — and, of course, former Pro Bowl cornerback — Aaron Glenn, both in size and play style.

Ponds spoke with The Jet Press at the event, and when asked about the comparisons to Glenn, the James Madison transfer made it clear that he was both flattered by the praise and focused on establishing his own identity at the next level.

D'Angelo Ponds is flattered by comparisons to Jets HC Aaron Glenn

Ponds told The Jet Press that it was a "blessing" to be compared to "a former player of [Glenn's] stature." At 5-foot-8, 174 pounds, Ponds is one of the smallest cornerback prospects in this year's draft class, but much like Glenn, he plays bigger than his listed size.

Just take a look at this excerpt from a scouting report by Daniel Harms of Bleacher Report:

"D'Angelo Ponds is the type of competitive, athletic, and playmaking cornerback that coaches want in their secondary. He plays bigger than his size and doesn't back down to any receiver. With great footwork, feel for space, and timing, Ponds continuously makes plays on the football and frustrates receivers with his closing speed and attention to detail."

Daniel Harms

Who does that sound like? It’s legitimately a description that could just as easily be pulled from an old scouting report on Glenn himself.

Glenn built his career on competitiveness, elite footwork, physicality that outweighed his size, and an edge that allowed him to thrive against bigger receivers. Those are the same traits that now define Ponds’ game.

Ponds later said that he watches players like Jaire Alexander, Kenny Moore, Amik Robertson, and Upton Stout — all defensive backs of similar size who have found considerable success at the NFL level.

“I look up to guys like that at my size who prove we can do it," Ponds told The Jet Press. His confidence is rooted in examples of players who have already carved out success by embracing the same traits that define his game.

But while Ponds is flattered by the comparisons to Glenn and studies players with similar stature and play style, he was quick to emphasize that he doesn’t want to be “the next Aaron Glenn” — he wants to be the first version of himself.

"At the end of the day, I’m D’Angelo Ponds, and I want to make a name for myself."

D'Angelo Ponds

The Jets enter the offseason with a projected starting cornerback trio of Brandon Stephens, Azareye'h Thomas, and Jarvis Brownlee, but there is still plenty of room to add to the position. The only cornerback on the roster locked into a starting role in 2026 is Stephens.

Perhaps a player like Ponds could spark Glenn’s interest, possibly on Day 2 or early Day 3 of the draft, especially if the Jets’ head coach sees a bit of his own game in Ponds’ competitive edge.