The NFL Draft is set to take place this week from April 23-25 in Pittsburgh, and there is plenty of hype surrounding Indiana cornerback D'Angelo Ponds.
Ponds earned a First Team All-Big Ten selection for the second year in a row, and became just the third Indiana defensive back to earn multiple first-team all-conference selections in program history.
Ponds continues to knock the pre-draft process out of the park, and he raised eyebrows by posting a 43.5-inch vertical jump at the combine in February. That mark was tied for 2nd among all participants this year and 4th in combine history among cornerbacks. His elite combine showing seems to be putting more NFL teams at ease about his relatively undersized 5'9" 182-pound frame. However, we won't really know how NFL organizations feel about him until draft time.
ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Ponds ranked as the No. 7 cornerback in the class on his latest big board, and Ponds is projected to be a second round pick. With that in mind, here are the top three most likely draft destinations for the talented playmaker.
3 most likely NFL Draft landing spots for Indiana CB D'Angelo Ponds
There's little doubt about the Bengals looking to find as much defensive help as they can in the draft. This past season, Cincinnati ranked 31st in total defense allowing 382.1 yards per game and 30th in scoring defense allowing 28.9 points per game. With a lot to fix on the defensive side of the ball, grabbing a playmaker like Ponds with the 41st overall selection seems well within the realm of possibility for the Bengals.
The Jets sent former 4th overall pick Sauce Gardner to the Colts in November, which means they have a glaring need at the cornerback position. New York has plenty of draft capital with picks No. 2, 16, 33, and 44 in the first two rounds. Pick No. 44 seems like the most ideal spot, and if Ponds is still available, the Jets should pounce.
In ESPN's latest mock draft, Ponds winds up in Carolina with the 51st overall selection. ESPN cites Ponds' versatility and ability to play both outside and nickel corner, which could open the door for him to shine in Carolina. The Panthers' defensive depth isn't the greatest, and Ponds could very well challenge Chau Smith-Wade for Carolina's starting nickel spot. The Panthers are likely to add an offensive weapon for Bryce Young with the 19th overall pick, which could mean they pivot to the defensive side of the ball with their second round pick. Ponds could be gone by then, but if he's not, the Panthers should count their blessings and take him.
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