Elijah Ponder
| No. 91 – New England Patriots | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | August 24, 2002 Pomona, California, U.S. |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 245 lb (111 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Bishop Amat (La Puente, California) |
| College: | Cal Poly (2021-2024) |
| NFL draft: | 2025: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Active |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Elijah Ponder (born August 24, 2002) is an American professional football linebacker for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Cal Poly Mustangs.
Early life
[edit]Ponder graduated from Bishop Amat High in La Puente, California.[1]
College career
[edit]Ponder played for Cal Poly, collecting 27 sacks and blocking a field goal attempt and an extra point try while a Mustang. He scored one touchdown, a 75-yard interception return versus San Diego in 2021.[2] He earned two first-team All-Big Sky selections in his career, in 2023[3] and 2024.[4] Ponder was additionally named a 2023 Walter Camp FCS All-American.
He recorded a sack and two passes defensed in the 2025 East–West Shrine Bowl.[5]
Pro football
[edit]At his pro day, Ponder compiled a relative athletic score of 9.70, featuring a vertical jump of 41 inches, a broad jump of 11 feet, and a 10-yard split time of 1.56 seconds.[6]
Ponder signed as an undrafted free agent with New England in April 2025.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ Robledo, Fred (February 6, 2020). "Signing Day: Athletes all across region reveal where they'll take their talents next". Pasadena Star News. p. 2.
- ^ Baker, Dusty (September 4, 2021). "Cal Poly opens season with road win over San Diego". KSBY TV.
- ^ "Ponder, Weichman, Saunders Earn All-Big Sky Honors". Cal Poly athletics. November 21, 2023. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
- ^ "Five Mustangs Earn Big Sky All-Conference Honors". Cal Poly athletics. November 27, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2025.
- ^ Reuter, Chad (January 31, 2025). "2025 NFL Draft: Five prospects who stood out in East-West Shrine Bowl". NFL Network.
- ^ Brown, Eddie (April 18, 2025). "2025 NFL Draft Prospect Rankings: Edge rushers". San Diego Union-Tribune.
- ^ Ho, Matthew (April 30, 2025). "Cal Poly's Ponder signs with Patriots as undrafted free agent". The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA). pp. 1B.