One Jets Rookie With the Best Chance to Surprise Everyone

The Jets reloaded with a solid draft class in April, bringing in multiple talented rookies who can become immediate impact players on both sides of the ball.

While second overall pick David Bailey and fellow first-rounders Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper Jr. are each projected starters, second-round pick D'Angelo Ponds is also in that position coming off a national title with Indiana.

The Jets desperately needed some secondary help after becoming the first team without a single interception in a season. Those defensive turnover woes were a clear area of concern entering the offseason, and Ponds is more than capable of generating an impact with his play-making ability and aggressiveness.

Of course, the most concerning question mark facing Ponds is his size at 5-foot-8, 182 pounds. However, while he will be at a size disadvantage against most wide receivers, his impressive vertical jump (43.5", per NFL Next Gen Stats) and speed suggest the defensive MVP of the Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl has the skill set to silence those doubts.

D'Angelo Ponds could be in line for a breakout rookie season

Size disadvantage aside, it is not hard to see why Ponds can make an impact in 2026.

Last season with the Hoosiers, Ponds registered 61 total tackles, 11 passes defended, four tackles for loss and two interceptions, including one for a touchdown on the first play of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl. In his collegiate career at James Madison and Indiana, Ponds had 111 combined tackles, 31 passes defended, one forced fumble and seven interceptions (two for a TD).

D'ANGELO PONDS PICK SIX ON THE FIRST PLAY OF THE GAME 😱pic.twitter.com/aq2YspoDt5
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) January 10, 2026

Ponds particularly excels in man and zone coverage and can even be used as a blitzer. Not to mention, he is a solid tackler in run defense, which is exactly what the Jets need after Brandon Stephens did not have much success in that area last season. Ponds still needs to fine-tune his press skills and could be outmatched from a physicality standpoint due to his size, but he is definitely a potential Year 1 starter and someone who can become one of the best players on the entire team.

Although Stephens needs to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 season, he is still a projected starter and "played like the best defensive player on the field for New York" at organized team activities, per Jets on SI's Nick Faria.

Furthermore, the Jets signed Nahshon Wright in free agency, a low-risk, high-upside addition after a breakout 2025 campaign with the Bears, and Jarvis Brownlee Jr. continues to develop.

D'Angelo Ponds catches a ball during the combine. — D'Angelo Ponds's arrival was one of the many offseason decisions the Jets made to bolster their secondary. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

At first, the crowded room does not sound like a good opportunity for Ponds to make an immediate impact, but head coach Aaron Glenn has ensured they are going to start him out at nickel before potentially moving him around from there. On top of that, Ponds has already turned heads early, receiving rave reviews from teammates and former players and giving the Jets no other choice but to put him on the field and see if he can contribute right away.

Ponds will likely still go up against some of the league's top receivers in the slot, but if Wright and Stephens remain in the starting lineup as expected, he would have some of the attention taken away from him and perhaps be able to fly under the radar while his teammates try to overcome their own pressure.

This appears to be a much-improved secondary on paper as the focus turns to training camp and the final preparations ahead of the 2026 season. Ponds is just one of the reasons why, with his speed and aggressiveness.

If he can use that to his advantage and not let his size disadvantage be the focus, the Jets' rookie CB could surprise everyone and become a focal point of this defense.

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