Seattle Seahawks general manager John Schneider isn't afraid to take gambles in the NFL draft. These don't always work out in the early rounds (Rashaad Penny, LJ Collier, Malik McDowell), of course, but most have done. The next risk could be Seattle taking a smaller defensive back, D'Angelo Ponds.
The key is that Schneider wants play-makers, and he knows that head coach Mike Macdonald likes them too. No one thought Schneider would take Devon Witherspoon with the fifth overall pick in 2023, and that has turned out to be magical. Witherspoon proves you don't have to be huge to disrupt opposing offenses.
During his pro day this week, Ponds ran an extremely fast 40-yard dash, clocking at 4.31. Physical ability isn't the issue for the Indiana defensive back, but size is. It is the one thing he cannot control.
Seattle Seahawks might have no choice but to take D'Angelo Ponds in the 2026 NFL draft
Ponds is just 5'9" (maybe) and 182 pounds (maybe). Some would speculate that he is shorter and weighs less than those numbers. That means he could struggle with tackling against bigger NFL players, especially if he is tasked with covering tight ends. He will need to make sure his technique is elite.
His numbers in college certainly were. His quarterback rating allowed in 2024 was just 49.5, and in 2025 was only 55.4. He gave up one touchdown pass in that span, but had five interceptions. He was also electric against the run with 39 combined run stuffs in his last two years.
That implies that not only is Ponds fast and can jump high, but he also has a high football IQ. He can read a play pre-snap and adjust, a skill that is required of the best defensive backs in the NFL. The question would be where to play Ponds.
Devon Witherspoon is likely set to play in the slot, as his ability to play the run and blitz quarterbacks while close to the line is an advantage for Mike Macdonald's defense that playing Witherspoon only as an outside cornerback would leave out. While Ponds would give Macdonald the chance to be even more creative, the size of his defensive backs could become a problem.
It is D'Angelo Ponds' size that could easily keep him from being a first-round pick. His athleticism and production imply he should be a mid-first-round choice. If he falls, the Seattle Seahawks could take him at pick 32.
Or, if general manager John Schneider trades back, which wouldn't be unexpected with the team only having four picks heading into the 2026 draft, Seattle might be able to steal pOnds in the second round. He would be wroth that selection, and the Seahawks would likely find a way to get the best use out of the Indiana prospect.