The Jets have signed CB D'Angelo Ponds, the No. 50 overall selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
After sending the first pick of the second round to San Francisco in a trade that allowed the Jets to draft Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr., GM Darren Mougey engineered another transaction -- trading the 44th pick to Detroit for the Lions' second- and fourth-round selections. With No. 50, the Green & White added another player from unbeaten Indiana's National Championship team in Ponds.
"Here's another guy that made huge plays in critical situations at critical times to help that team win and that's another trait that we looked at on all these guys," HC Aaron Glen n said. "Who are the pressure players? Who are the players that can make consistent plays when the pressure's on, and he did that on a number of occasions. Again, we can go through and talk about the height [5-9]. We can go through and talk about the weight [182], but man, when you just watch the player play, I mean just look at all the plays that he made and look at all the tackles that he made. He always helped the team put itself in a position to win, and that's a trait that you want to bring on your team."
The diminutive and aggressive Ponds has been compared with his new head coach. Glenn, similar in size and weight to Ponds, was taken in the first round, No. 12 overall, by the Jets in the 1994 NFL Draft. He went on to play 15 years in the NFL, 8 of those seasons for the Green & White.
In 15 games for the Hoosiers last season, Ponds led the defense with 10 broken up passes, had 61 tackles, 4 TFL, 2 INTs (one of which he returned for a TD), a FF and a blocked kick. He also made a single reception on offense and returned a punt for a TD.
He compiled a handful of honors for his play: All-Big Ten for a second straight year, second-team Associated Press All-American as well as earning defensive MVP honors in the Peach Bowl and the Rose Bowl.
" He's just been a productive football player despite the size limitations," GM Darren Mougey said about Ponds. "He finds ways to get stops, he covers guys, he's one of the better tacklers in this draft, regardless of position. So, excited to have him, good football player, winning program."
