Diego Pounds
American football player (born 2002)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Diego Lanzell Pounds (born December 12, 2002) is an American professional football offensive tackle for the Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels and Ole Miss Rebels.
Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
| No. 61 – Kansas City Chiefs | |
|---|---|
| Position | Offensive tackle |
| Roster status | Active |
| Personal information | |
| Born | December 12, 2002 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. |
| Listed height | 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) |
| Listed weight | 335 lb (152 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Millbrook (Raleigh, North Carolina) |
| College | North Carolina (2021–2023) Ole Miss (2024–2025) |
| NFL draft | 2026: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
* Offseason or practice squad member only | |
| Awards and highlights | |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Early life
Pounds was born on December 12, 2002, in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised by his mother. He moved to Raleigh, North Carolina, when he was eight, and grew up playing basketball. He attended Millbrook High School where he initially was only going to play basketball, but joined the football team as his brother was a member of the squad. Pounds played junior varsity football from 2017 to 2018 as a defensive lineman before joining the varsity team near the end of his sophomore year.[1][2] As a junior, Pounds became an offensive lineman.[3] He helped the team reach the NCHSAA 4AA state playoffs that season, but did not play his senior year as it was postponed to 2021 and he graduated early.[1] A three-star recruit, Pounds committed to play college football for the North Carolina Tar Heels.[4]
College career
Pounds redshirted as a true freshman at North Carolina in 2021, then appeared in five games as a backup in 2022.[1] In 2023, he served as the team's starting left tackle.[5] He started eight of 13 games for the Tar Heels in 2023.[1] Pounds entered the NCAA transfer portal following the season and transferred to the Ole Miss Rebels in 2024.[5][6] He started nine of 13 games during the 2024 season.[1] As a senior in 2025, he started 15 games at left tackle, earning third-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) honors.[1] Finishing his collegiate career with 46 games played, 32 as a starter, he was invited to the 2026 East–West Shrine Bowl.[1]
Professional career
| Height | Weight | Arm length | Hand span | Wingspan | 40-yard dash | 10-yard split | 20-yard split | 20-yard shuttle | Three-cone drill | Vertical jump | Broad jump | Bench press |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m) | 325 lb (147 kg) | 33+3⁄4 in (0.86 m) | 9+3⁄4 in (0.25 m) | 7 ft 0+1⁄4 in (2.14 m) | 5.15 s | 1.77 s | 2.95 s | 4.78 s | 7.90 s | 30.0 in (0.76 m) | 9 ft 4 in (2.84 m) | 21 reps |
| All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[7][8] | ||||||||||||
Baltimore Ravens
Pounds signed with the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent on April 26, 2026.[9]
Kansas City Chiefs
On August 30, 2026, Pounds was traded to the Kansas City Chiefs for a 2028 sixth-round pick.[10]