Indiana football snags freshman All-American CB D’Angelo Ponds in transfer portal

The spring transfer portal window has brought Indiana football another former James Madison player. Cornerback D’Angelo Ponds announced via X on Saturday he is joining coach Curt Cignetti and staff in Bloomington for the 2024 season.

A West Park, Fla. native, Ponds made an immediate impact for James Madison as a freshman in 2023. Ponds played in all 13 of the Dukes’ games, recording 51 tackles, two interceptions and 13 pass breakups. Ponds’ play stood out in his first season, and his efforts earned him second team All-Sun Belt honors along with various freshman All-American distinctions.

After entering the portal April 26, Ponds was a hot name. As of Wednesday, Ponds told On3 he had heard from 22 schools, including USC and Illinois.

Cignetti has wanted to upgrade the Hoosiers’ secondary for months, and he just lured in a corner who’s already familiar with the defense. Ponds will provide an immediate boost to Indiana’s secondary while having three years of eligibility remaining. For a defense that’s expected to be a work in progress, picking up Ponds could be pivotal.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU football lands transfer CB D’Angelo Ponds from James Madison