Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 2 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 16-17@ Auburn | 4 | 3 | 2.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 44-3vs Prairie View A&M | 3 | 1 | 1.5 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Total | 7 | 4 | 4.0 | 2.0 | — | 0 |
#13
Garrick Ponder
Senior defensive end for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
6′2″ · 247 lb · St. Petersburg, FL · Pinellas Park HS
CFB Index 68 · #142 of 583 LBsMedium confidenceTransferred Southern Miss → Baylor for 2026
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
2
sacks · 2026
4 TFL · 7 tackles · 1 hurries
2 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 1 sacks, 2.5 TFL, 4 tackles, vs Auburn
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
4 defensive end for Baylor. 2026: 2 games with a box-score line.
- Transferred from Southern Miss to Baylor in 2026.
Garrick Ponder
Fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge. Garrick Ponder has played for two head coaches across two seasons and two programs. One game to point at: 3 tackles, 1.5 TFL against Prairie View A&M — Week 2, 2026.
7 TACKLES · 2 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- positional archetype classification
- head-coach lineage
- game log
His career
2026
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
- Entered the portal
Career arc
HS
Recruit
—
CFB
College
2 teams
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Where He Ended Up · Transfer
Transferred to Baylor
2025Southern Miss
2026Baylor
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2025Southern Miss7-6HC: Charles Huff · Balanced
2026Baylor1-1HC: Dave Aranda · Balanced, fast tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
High confidence
Elite: tackles for loss (99th percentile). Strength: sacks (97th percentile). Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 2 games: 3.5 TKL/g, 2.0 TFL/g, 1.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Dave Aranda
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2025
Rotational
Tackle volume for the position in rotation-piece range.
Recognition
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Production · CFB Index Score
68 · #142 of 583 LBs
Unranked recruit. Now #142 at the position.
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Baylor | 7 | 4 | 4.0 | 2.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Southern Miss | 37 | 16 | 11.5 | 4.5 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 44 | 20 | 15.5 | 6.5 | -- | -- | -- |
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 44–3
3 TOT · 1 SOLO · 1 SACKS
Dominant 41-point win at home against Prairie View A&M.
With N. Bennett — 301 yds · 2 TD · 2 INT · QBR 29.6 · 13 rush yds (2 car) · 1 TD · C. Knighten — 66 rush yds (12 car) · 1 TD
Game log
How he plays
Play style
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
CFB Index positional classification
DNA match
Player DNA
Thumper
Downhill striker who fills the run lane and blitzes off the edge.
EDGE
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Trey Moore’s 2022 season.
63%match
All-Conference USANFL Rd 4
Matches Trey on
Tackle volume
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Trey on
PD rate (lower)
Sack rate (lower)
Height (lower)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a sophomore, his production profile tracks closest to Nelson Ceaser's sophomore season at Houston (2022).
79%match
All-Big 12
Matches Nelson on
Tackle volume
TFL rate
Solo tackle rate
Differs from Nelson on
PD rate (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Garrick Ponder
Background
Previous School: Spent the 2025 season at Southern Miss and the 2022-24 seasons at North Alabama … Has played in 28 career games, including 13 with USM and 15 at UNA. 2025: Played in 13 games for the Golden Eagles, totaling 37 tackles, 11.5 for a loss, with 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fu...
The defensive line · Baylor
- #13Garrick Ponder11.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #91Traevon Mitchell6 tackles for loss · 2025
- #9Ryan Davis5.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- #99Jamaal Whyce4.5 tackles for loss · 2025
- Hosea Wheeler4 tackles for loss · 2025
20 more on the roster · Baylor team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology