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Elijah Ponder

LB

#91

Experience: 2 years

Height: 6-3

Age: 23

Weight: 261 lbs

College: Cal Poly

2025 SEASON

  • Solo
    14
  • SCK
    4
  • FF
    0
  • INT
    --
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Defense

YEAR TEAM G Total Solo AST SCK SFTY PDEF INT TDS YDS AVG LNG
2025 New England Patriots 15 20 14 6 4 0 0
TOTAL 15 20 14 6 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Fumbles

YEAR TEAM G FUM LOST FF OWN FR OPP FR TD
2025 New England Patriots 15 0 0 0 2 0
TOTAL 15 0 0 0 0 2 0

Biography

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

Elijah Ponder was signed by the New England Patriots as a rookie free agent on May 9, 2025.

SEASONAL REVIEWS

2025 (15/0, 3/0)

  • Contributes mainly on punt and kickoff coverage, also rotating in as a pass rusher.
  • One of three rookie free agents to make the opening day roster.
  • Made his NFL debut vs. Las Vegas (9/7). 
  • Inactive vs. Pittsburgh (9/21) and vs. Carolina (9/28). Returned to action at Buffalo (10/5) after being inactive the previous two games, recording a tackle and a special teams tackle. 
  • Recorded his first career sack at Tampa Bay (11/9) when he dropped QB Baker Mayfield for a 5-yard loss in the fourth quarter.
  • Logged his second-consecutive game with a sack vs. the N.Y. Jets (11/13) with a fourth-quarter sack on QB Justin Fields, making him the first Patriots rookie since DL Chase Winovich in 2019 to have a sack in back-to-back games. 
  • Recorded his third sack of the season vs. the N.Y. Giants (12/1) on QB Jaxson Dart in the fourth quarter. In doing so, he became only the second rookie free agent in Patriots history to record at least 3 sacks, joining Justin Francis (2012). He also recovered a fumbled kickoff forced by Marte Mapu in the second quarter. 
  • Logged his fourth sack of the year vs. Miami (1/4/26), taking down QB Quinn Ewers in the third quarter for a 3-yard sack on third-and-8, forcing a punt. He also recovered a fumble for the first time in his career in the second quarter after LB Jack Gibbens forced it on a 2-yard run from RB Jaylen Wright immediately after the Patriots turned the ball over on downs. 
  • Recovered a fumble forced by LB Christian Elliss on QB Jarrett Stidham at the Denver 12-yard line in the second quarter of the AFC Championship at Denver (1/25/26), setting up the team's game-tying touchdown.

COLLEGE

  • In five seasons at Cal Poly (2020-24), played in 47 games and finished with 167 tackles, 261/2 sacks, 1 interception returned for a touchdown, 7 passes defensed, 3 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries and 2 blocked kicks.
  • Led the Big Sky Conference in sacks (10) in 2023.
  • Earned All-Conference First-Team Defense, FCS All-American Third Team Defense and Walter Camp FCS All-American honors in 2023.
  • All-Big Sky honorable mention (2021, 2022) and All-Big Sky Conference fourth team (Phil Steele) in 2021.

PERSONAL

  • As a senior, was named Most Valuable Lineman of the Mission League and earned first-team All-Mission League and second-team All-Los Angeles County .
  • Majored in architectural engineering.
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