Elijah Ponder
LB
#91
Experience: 2 years
Height: 6-3
Age: 24
Weight: 261 lbs
College: Cal Poly
2026 SEASON
- Solo11
- SCK4.5
- FF1
- INT--
Defense
| YEAR | TEAM | G | Total | Solo | AST | SCK | SFTY | PDEF | INT | TDS | YDS | AVG | LNG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New England Patriots | 5 | 17 | 11 | 6 | 4.5 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2025 | New England Patriots | 15 | 20 | 14 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| TOTAL | 20 | 37 | 25 | 12 | 8.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fumbles
| YEAR | TEAM | G | FUM | LOST | FF | OWN FR | OPP FR | TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | New England Patriots | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |
| 2025 | New England Patriots | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| TOTAL | 20 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 |
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, 4/0)
- Played in 15 games as a key special teamer and edge rusher. Recorded 15 tackles (9 solo), 4 sacks, 4 tackles for loss and 1 fumble recovery, along with 9 special teams tackles and a fumble recovery on a kickoff return.
- Appeared in all four postseason games, accumulating 2 tackle assists and 1 fumble recovery, with 2 special teams tackles.
- One of three rookie free agents, along with WR Efton Chism III and DT Eric Gregory, 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 first and only touchdown in a 10-7 win.
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.