Elijah Ponder flat-out dominated the Big Sky Conference the past three seasons, but how does his full NFL scouting report look?
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Overview, Film Analysis, And 2025 Scouting Report Of Cal Poly EDGE Elijah Ponder
Measurables:
6’3”
245 lbs
Player Background:
Elijah Ponder finished his High School career at Bishop Amat in California as a First Team All-Mission League. He graduated as a two-star recruit and Top-200 outside linebacker prospect in the nation, committing to Cal Poly. He saw action in all three COVID-19 season games as a backup in 2020, making three tackles. His role quickly became a starting one, and he did so in every game during the 2021 season.
He led the team with eight sacks and 11 tackles-for-loss, forcing two fumbles and picking off a pass. Ponder started 10 of 11 games in 2022, making 1.5 sacks and six TFLs. 2023 brought him back to form, picking up a career-high 10 sacks and 13 TFLs with a forced fumble as well. He finished his collegiate career strong in 2024, racking up seven sacks and 12.5 TFLs with 41 tackles.
Accolades:
All-Big Sky Honorable Mention (2022)
First Team All-Big Sky (2023)
FCS All-American Third Team (2023)
First Team All-Big Sky (2024)
Strengths/Pros:
Ponder’s athleticism, like most small-school prospects, is what gives him immediate attractiveness as a prospect. His get-off is fast, flying out of multiple stances and getting fantastic early leverage. He shoots low through his legs and stays low, using his natural leverage to drive into the chest of offensive linemen. He has a smooth and twitchy transition from speed to power, lashing out sharply and generating massive push.
Ponder precisely places his hands when he connects with linemen, utilizing a great plant step to explode downhill and positioning himself well. His lateral moves are effective, and he’s a violent ripper who gets incredibly rotational. His swim move is his best pass rush option, easily throwing linemen aside and getting into the backfield. He’s a high-effort player at every stage, always flying around to make plays. He can work into coverage and flashes solid compact movement skills to not be a liability. His strong showing at the Shrine Bowl also proved, at least in a small sample, that he can survive against high-level competition.
Weaknesses/Cons:
Because it does need to be mentioned, he hasn’t faced top-tier opposition in high doses, so he might take longer to transition to the NFL. Ponder’s upper half gets pushed back a bit too much when working laterally, forcing him to re-establish and accelerate again. He also lets his upper half get too rotational when bull rushing, often getting too high out of his base. He’s undersized all around, and he needs to learn how to expand his range against the run to become a three-down defender.
Ponder has to develop more downhill pass rush moves and counters, as he is relying too much on his bull rush and/or first move. His awareness as a pass rusher isn’t ideal, as he gets caught off guard by help blockers. His hands get into funks where they’re slower and less effective, a habit he needs to minimize. He tends to extend too late when closing in on the QB, not finishing enough plays. His eyes will get stunted and choppy at times in space, and he gets dragged too often on options.
Potential Team Fits:
NFL Projection:
Ponder is still far from his complete form, and that says a lot about both the player he is currently and the player he can become. He’s an athletic freak who should generate enough production early to be a quick-impact player, and his profile offers a naturally high upside. With that being said, the issues surrounding his game still make him far from a guaranteed hit. His transition to the NFL should be very intriguing to follow, and he has the tools to be a potential longer-term starter for a team’s pass rush.
Prospect Grade:
Late 3rd Round
Film Exposures:
2024 vs. Idaho
2024 vs. Stanford
2024 vs. Montana
Main Photo: Cary Edmondson-Imagn Images