D’Angelo Ponds is scrappy cornerback option for Las Vegas Raiders in 2026 NFL Draft

BLOOMINGTON, IN - NOVEMBER 15: Indiana Hoosiers DB D'Angelo Ponds (5) during a college football game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Indiana Hoosiers on November 15, 2025 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN. (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images After re-signing Eric Stokes and trading for Taron Johnson during free agency, cornerback is a tricky need on the Las Vegas Raiders’ roster heading into the 2026 NFL draft. The Raiders are expected to start Stokes and 2025 third-round pick Darien Porter on the perimeter of the secondary, while Johnson mans the nickelback spot.

However, it couldn’t hurt to bring in some competition for Porter, and Johnson’s contract can function like a one-year deal if a younger defensive back proves capable of manning the slot. Meanwhile, Indiana’s D’Angelo Ponds could help fill both those holes in the draft. Ponds was primarily an outside corner in college—accounting for nearly 86 percent of his career snaps—and recorded coverage grades in the mid-to high-80s in all three seasons, per Pro Football Focus .

This past season, his 89. 5 mark ranked sixth among FBS corners , due in part to finishing tied for 11th with nine pass breakups and yielding just a 55. 4 passer rating when targeted.

However, the 5-foot-9, 182-pound defensive back’s lack of size leads him to be projected as a nickelback at the next level. The good news is that he has the traits to successfully make the transition, as a sure tackler with only two misses (3. 0 percent) last season, highlighted by allowing just 56 yards after the catch and just 1.