Position: OC/OG
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 310
Hometown: Chester, Va
High School: Matoaca HS
Twitter: @bigpond60
Matoaca High School has produced some very good players for UVA, including Kris Burd, James Farrior and Byron Thweat. Farrior won a couple of rings with the Steelers, Thweat played in the NFL for a bit and currently coaches at Richmond and Burd is still trying to get his shot in the NFL. John Pond comes from the same high school, but is unlikely to follow his fellow alumni into the NFL.
Pond could've played at JMU or Richmond on scholarship, but chose to attend UVA instead. He was recruited by the Hoos as a preferred walk-on and immediately slotted at OC. At Matoaca, Pond played both OC and OG, and also did shot put on the track team and played basketball.
At 6'3" and 310 pounds, Pond looks like a C. He's big and stout and has a lower center of gravity. He's still working to increase his upper body strength and he needs to work on learning to make line calls at this level.
Pond is currently listed as the 3rd OC, behind starter Jackson Matteo and backup Ross Burbank. Considering Matteo is just a redshirt freshman, and Burbank was already passed on the depth chart by one walk-on, Pond has a legitimate shot at playing time at the OC position.