Elijah Ponder is a rising, high-motor edge presence with proven sack production and special-teams value
Ponder has turned into one of the more intriguing undrafted defenders in the Patriots mix: in 2025 he played in 15 games and finished with four sacks, two fumble recoveries and steady special-teams usage, while his Cal Poly track record shows a player who kept getting better every year and owned elite production in the FCS ranks, including 26.5 career sacks and Big Sky sack leadership in 2023.[1][2][8][15] What makes him appealing is the combination of burst, effort and coach-trusted versatility—he can win off the edge, chase plays down, and survive in a rotational role even if he is still refining the finer points of his game.[4][7][15]
