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It’s time for the defensive and tight ends to take us through day two of this year’s NFL Combine.
Below are four players across today’s positions that I believe the Chargers should keep an eye on when they take the field in Indy.
CB D’Angelo Ponds, Indiana
Call him undersized at your own risk, but Ponds plays more like a raging river than anything else.
The 5’9 cornerback started his career at James Madison and followed Curt Cignetti to Indiana prior to the 2024 season. All he did after transferring up in competition was get named a First-Team All-Big Ten selection and a First-Team All-American. On the first play of the College Football Playoff Semifinal matchup against Oregon, Ponds picked of quarterback Dante Moore for a pick-six and was later named the Defensive Player of the Game.
NFL.com draft scout Lance Zierlein calls Ponds a “perimeter cornerback trapped in a smaller body,” but I truly do not think that will be much of an impediment in his path to success in the NFL. He is a ball-player and those guys, in my opinion, are the easiest to bet on.
Ponds’ skillset and mentality make him a great fit for the Chargers defense that loves to play zone. Ponds jumped 43.5 inches in the vertical ahead of the 40s on Friday and that explosion to jump on routes shows up consistently in his tape.
TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
The class’ top tight end, Sadiq is projected to fit well in just about any offenses that decides to add him on day one of this year’s draft. At 6’3 and 242 pounds, Sadiq is built like a modern-day “F” tight end but has the play strength and blocking chops to still make an impact in the ground game. The plus side? He’s a heck of a cover in the open field and a plus-athlete. Tight ends are usually built well, but Sadiq takes his physique to a whole new level.
At the tight end position, Sadiq is as versatile as they get and he’ll be able to be moved around all over a formation in the name of finding that matchup to exploit.
TE Eli Raridon, Notre Dame
The Chargers have got a downfield weapon at tight end in Oronde Gadsden II. Now, they need to find that complementary piece who can line up in-line next the tackle and be a difference-maker in the run game. THr 6’5, 244-pound Raridon is ready-made for that role after spending the past few seasons helping open up holes for Jeremiyah Love who happens to be the top running back in the 2026 class.
He still has room to add weight and likely press upwards of 255-260 pounds, but his technique is strong for someone sub-245 and he’s already got the fundamentals down well coming from the Fighting Irish.
CB T.J. Hall, Iowa
Hall hails from my Iowa Hawkeyes and I don’t know if you guys have noticed but the Hawks have been producing some great cornerbacks as of late. Cooper DeJean won a Super Bowl with the Eagles as a rookie and Riley Moss has been starting opposite Patrick Surtain II the last two seasons. Hall could be the next in line, albeit taken a few rounds behind his predecessors.
Specifically, Hall seems best suited for the slot at the next level thanks to his willingness to mix it up as a run defender. Zierlein calls him a “serious run supporter” who makes an impact around the line of scrimmage. There’s a place for these types of defensive backs and the Chargers could use one if they wish to keep the likes of Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart on the perimeter.