What the New York Jets are getting in Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JANUARY 9: D'Angelo Ponds #5 celebrates with Aiden Fisher #4 and Devan Boykin #12 of the Indiana Hoosiers after returning an interception for a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the CFP Semifinal Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by CFP/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Indiana football saw its third player taken in the NFL Draft on Friday when the New York Jets selected cornerback D’Angelo Ponds with the 50th overall pick in the second round, reuniting him with wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr.

Here’s what to know about the newest Jet:

D’Angelo Ponds – CB – 5’8”, 182 lbs

Ponds is one of the more intriguing names in the NFL Draft because the height question has followed him since he was in high school, keeping him from receiving the type of recruiting interest his play warranted. Some will see his size and say “slot corner” but Ponds played, and excelled at, playing outside at Indiana.

What Ponds has in athleticism and football IQ makes up for what he doesn’t in height. He also isn’t afraid to play physical football, being a more than willing tackler when faced with a scrambling quarterback or a running back, forcing a fumble on Alabama’s Ty Simpson in the Rose Bowl that stifled the Crimson Tide’s offensive momentum.

Indiana’s defense was reliant on Ponds to the point that the lone game he missed, at Iowa, ended up being arguably the closest call of the Hoosiers’ season. Haines trusted Ponds to lock down half the field at corner and he held up more often than not.