Making the Case For D'Angelo Ponds For Seahawks at No. 32

The Seattle Seahawks enter the 2026 NFL Draft with the No. 32 overall pick, which could take them in a number of different directions.

Coming off a Super Bowl LX victory, general manager John Schneider and head coach Mike Macdonald have to make some changes with free agents leaving and being scattered across the league.

While many mock drafts focus on traditional builds, there is a compelling case for the Seahawks to target Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds with the final pick of the first round.

"The Indiana product has shown the ability to make plays in the backfield, logging 10.5 tackles for loss. He's a no-fear defender who has given maximum effort in tackling," Bleacher Report contributor Moe Moton wrote.

"His high-level consistency in coverage gives him a shot to be a trade target in the 25-32 range."

Ponds Could Dip Into First Round

Indiana's D'Angelo Ponds celebrates after the College Football Playoff National Championship. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Ponds fits the first-round riser archetype perfectly. Despite his 5-9, 170-pound frame, Ponds was the top cornerback that powered a National Championship run during the 2025 season.

His statistical profile is elite with a PFF grade in 2025 of 88.8 overall (8th best among cornerbacks), 31 pass breakups and seven interceptions.

Ponds also played well on special teams with two blocked punt return touchdowns, which could make him fit even more with the Seahawks, who value versatility.

Why Ponds Fits Seahawks

Mike Macdonald’s defensive scheme prioritizes instinct, versatility and match technique.

Ponds has drawn frequent comparisons to former Seahawks cornerback DJ Reed. Both are undersized boundary corners who play with a chip on their shoulder and excel in going step by step with receivers. For a Seahawks team that lost Riq Woolen’s length, Ponds offers a different but effective coverage.
While his size is pushing him to the second round, his 2025 tape shows a fighter who uses the sideline as an extra defender. In Macdonald’s "Dark Side" defense, Ponds' discipline would allow Devon Witherspoon more freedom to roam in the secondary.
Despite concerns about his frame at the NFL level, Ponds rarely misses tackles. In a division with physical run games like San Francisco and Los Angeles, Ponds becomes a major asset for the Seahawks.

The Case For Ponds at No. 32

Drafting at the end of the first round is about securing the fifth-year option on high-impact players. While the Seahawks have other potential needs at pass rusher and running back, taking a prospect like Ponds provides immediate secondary stability.

While some see him as a Day 2 value, his performance against premier Big Ten talent suggests he is ready for the jump to the NFL. If the Seahawks to maintain its defensive identity after the Woolen departure, Ponds represents the high-floor, high-instinct prospect that fits in the Pacific Northwest.

Our Take

Ponds is a player that absolutely makes sense for the Seahawks. He has that winner's mentality that could fit right into the "Dark Side" defense and he fills a position of need.

However, if other teams don't value Ponds as a first-round pick, it might not make sense for the Seahawks to take him. They can trade back into the second round, acquire an additional pick to add to their nearly bare cupboard of four selections in this draft, and still get Ponds with a selection closer to where the rest of the league values him.

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