Elijah Ponder

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.