National Champion CB Looks Like Ideal Fit for Chargers' New Defensive Coordinator

It was an offseason of massive change for the Los Angeles Chargers. Massive in the aspect that the team now has both a new offensive and defensive coordinator,

Greg Roman was let go by the club and Jim Harbaugh now has former Miami Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel running the team’s attack. Heralded defensive coordinator Jesse Minter spent two seasons with the Chargers and is now the head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.

Back in 2024, Chris O’Leary served as the team’s safeties coach. After a year at Western Michigan University, he is now Minter’s replacement with the Chargers.

Could an Indiana Hoosier wind up with Jim Harbaugh’s club?

Matt Bowen of ESPN assembled a list of draft prospects and where they would best fit around the league. He feels that Indiana University cornerback CB D’Angelo Ponds would be an ideal second-round pick (55th overall) for the Bolts.

“Under new coordinator Chris O’Leary,” explained Bowen, “the Chargers will likely play a lot of zone match coverage. That would cater to the ability of Ponds, who has the short-area speed to close on the ball and can match up well on intermediate routes. Ponds is also competitive at the catch point, finishing with two interceptions and 10 pass breakups last season. And he’s a competitive run defender despite his size.”

CB D’Angelo Ponds knows where to find the football

The 5’9”, 182-pound performer began his collegiate career at James Madison and spent the past two seasons with the Hoosiers. His three-year collegiate resume includes seven interceptions—two returned for touchdowns—an impressive 33 passes defensed, 10.5 tackles for losses, one forced fumble and a pair of fumble recoveries in 41 contests.

“Ponds is a productive perimeter cornerback trapped in a smaller body,” explained NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, “but he’s not lacking in confidence or coverage tenacity. He’s tremendously competitive and winning seems to follow him at each stop. He matches press releases with good slide quickness and has the speed to stay in-phase as routes travel vertically. Eye discipline, instincts and trigger quickness fuel his zone work and catch disruption.

D’Angelo Ponds could be a perfect addition for new Chargers’ DC Chris O’Leary

“Size limitations will likely push him to nickelback,” added Zierlein, “where mismatches against bigger bodies and physical challenges from run games will test his playmaking/durability. Ponds is a likely Day 2 pick who will be an above-average starting nickelback in the NFL.”

Only the Chicago Bears (23) and Jacksonville Jaguars (22) finished with more interceptions this past season than Harbaugh’s Chargers (19). Veterans Donte Jackson and Tony Jefferson tied for the team lead with four picks in 2025, and both return this season. The possible addition of this ball-hawking prospect could make this an even more opportunistic defensive unit in 2026.