Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds just completed his sophomore season at Indiana, but he stands among the best-of-the-best in college football.
After earning multiple freshman All-America honors in 2023 at James Madison, Ponds was named an All-American by six different national outlets as a sophomore at IU in 2024.
What does the future hold for Ponds as he turns the page to his junior season?
An ESPN panel of 10 analysts say Ponds begins the upperclassman portion of his career as one of the five best defensive backs in all of college football.
“He’s everything you want in a corner,” IU CB coach Rod Ojong said of Ponds during spring practice. “He plays with a chip on his shoulder because he was overlooked. … The kid, he’s a pro, he’s everything you want.”
The panel slotted Ponds in at No. 4 among all defensive backs in the nation and the third-best CB, behind only Ohio State safety Caleb Downs, Notre Dame corner Leonard Moore, and Tennessee corner Jermod McCoy.
Here’s what ESPN’s Chris Low said about Ponds:
Ponds had a breakout sophomore season in 2024 at Indiana after transferring from James Madison. A second-team ESPN All-American, he doesn’t have great size (5-9, 170 pounds), but he is a physical cornerback who also locks down opposing receivers in coverage. He was third on Indiana’s team with 36 solo tackles and led the team with nine pass breakups. He finished with three interceptions, 4.5 tackles for loss and blocked a kick.
If there’s a play to be made, Ponds is usually there to make it. Over the past two seasons, his 91.8 grade by Pro Football Focus leads all returning FBS cornerbacks. He will again team with linebacker Aiden Fisher to be cornerstones on an Indiana defense that was second nationally last season in yards allowed per play (4.28) and sixth in points allowed (15.6 per game).
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