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D'Angelo Ponds plans to enter NFL Draft after Indiana's title run

Browning Headshotby: Zach Browning01/22/26ZachBrowning17

Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds is preparing for the next step in his career, saying Thursday that he plans to enter the 2026 NFL Draft after helping lead the Hoosiers to a national championship.

Ponds revealed his decision during a Thursday morning fan event at Raising Cane’s in Bloomington. He had one year of eligibility remaining but will elect to turn pro following Indiana’s 16–0 season and College Football Playoff title.

“Going to war with my guys, I know I’m gonna miss that,” Ponds said Thursday. “I miss it already.”

Ponds exits Bloomington as one of the most accomplished defensive backs in program history. A projected second-round pick according to various NFL mock drafts, he earned first-team All-Big Ten honors multiple times and became a cornerstone of head coach Curt Cignetti’s defense, dating back to their shared time at James Madison.

A former three-star recruit from Chaminade-Madonna, Ponds arrived at James Madison in the 2023 class with just one Power Four offer. Undersized at 5-foot-9, he turned limited recruiting interest into motivation, starting 36 of 40 career games and developing into one of the most reliable corners Cignetti has coached.

“Ponds is a player, he’s a great player,” Cignetti said. “He might be the best player I’ve ever coached that was with me throughout his entire career in terms of consistency, production.”

That trajectory continued after Ponds followed Cignetti to Indiana via the spring transfer portal. He immediately locked down one side of the field and delivered signature moments throughout this past postseason run, including a pick-six on the opening play of the Peach Bowl and Defensive MVP honors in both the Peach Bowl and Rose Bowl. He graded as Pro Football Focus’ highest-rated player in the national championship game against Miami.

After the 27–21 title win, Ponds reflected on the journey.

“I don’t think anybody would have said we would be here, coming from JMU to Indiana to win a national championship in two years,” Ponds said. “It’s honestly a Cinderella story, as they call it, but it’s just a dream come true.”

He also singled out the defining moment of the finale.

“The Jamari Sharpe interception, I feel like that would be a moment I’ll forever remember,” Ponds said. “It’s just something I will always remember.”

Ponds finished the season with 61 total tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions, 11 pass breakups and a forced fumble. He also scored on a blocked punt in a 63–10 win over Illinois. According to PFF, he allowed just 31 catches on 63 targets for 357 yards, with opposing quarterbacks completing 53.5% of their throws when targeting him.

Indiana is expected to reload at cornerback with Sharpe likely returning, former Pitt transfer Ryland Gandy providing experienced depth in addition to Penn State transfer A.J. Harris and Montana State transfer Carson Williams joining via the transfer portal this past month.

Still, Ponds leaves behind a legacy as one of the defining players of Indiana football’s rise to national prominence.

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