Akheem Mesidor was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers as the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft. He previously played for the Miami Hurricanes and West Virginia.
Key points
Akheem Mesidor was selected by the Los Angeles Chargers
He was the 22nd overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
Mesidor played for the Miami Hurricanes and West Virginia
He was a college teammate of Bengals players DJ Ivey and Jalen Rivers
Mesidor is from Ottawa, Ontario
Akheem MesidorLos Angeles ChargersMiami HurricanesWest Virginia Mountaineers
Mesidor played two seasons at West Virginia and four seasons at Miami.
Mesidor was a college teammate at Miami of Bengals defensive back DJ Ivey for one season, and Bengals offensive lineman Jalen Rivers for three seasons.
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Mesidor has talked about having to walk more than two miles in a snowstorm to attend football training.
What to know about Mesidor:
Mesidor will be a 25-year-old NFL rookie.
Mesidor was expected to be a first- or second-round pick.
"I think if you just looked at the tape, you would think top-15 pick," ESPN draft analyst Matt . "He's fast. He's angry against the run. He stacks up well. He's an older prospect and he's had a lot of injuries. That's the thing you worry about with him. He's 25, you've had three notable injuries. Where does that put him? I think it puts him in the back half of Round 1, maybe mid-20s."
Q&A
Who is Akheem Mesidor and what position does he play?
Akheem Mesidor is an edge player who was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 2026 NFL Draft.
What pick was Akheem Mesidor in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Akheem Mesidor was selected as the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Which teams did Akheem Mesidor play for in college?
Akheem Mesidor played for the West Virginia Mountaineers and the Miami Hurricanes during his college career.
What is Akheem Mesidor's background before joining the NFL?
Born in Ottawa, Ontario, Akheem Mesidor faced challenges such as walking over two miles in a snowstorm to attend football training.
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Mesidor said swimming helped him lose 20 pounds to get down to 265 before his final college season. He said he entered fall camp in 2025 in the best shape of his life.
As a senior, Mesidor tied for third in the FBS with 12.5 sacks.
Mesidor also tied for fifth with 17.5 tackles for loss, and tied for sixth with four forced fumbles.
Mesidor earned first-team all-ACC honors in his final college season.
In 2024, Mesidor earned honorable mention all-ACC honors, starting all 13 games with 32 tackles, nine TFLs and 5.5 sacks.
"Mesidor is an instinctive, high-effort edge rusher with a fluid rush style and a deep toolbox," Zierlein wrote in Mesidor's NFL.com draft prospect profile. "He bursts upfield and can shrink the corner while punishing oversetting tackles with inside counters. … The talent and motor are obvious, but his age and injury history could push some teams to discount his grade below what the tape shows."
ESPN's Andrea Adelson wrote that Mesidor's path to potential first-round prospect has been unconventional.
In his one season of high school football in the United States – 1,500 miles away from home and living with a host family – Mesidor had 92 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, 10 sacks, four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
What is Akheem Mesidor's injury history?
In his second season at WVU, Mesidor was named all-Big 12 honorable mention, but he played through a shoulder injury that required offseason surgery.
After transferring to Miami, he played through a torn ligament in his foot in 2022, but still posted impressive statistics (10.5 TFLs, seven sacks).
He tore a ligament in his other foot in the season opener the following season.
In 2023, Mesidor played in just two games for the Hurricanes. Torn ligaments in both feet required season-ending surgery.
Edge Akheem Mesidor played two seasons at West Virginia and four seasons at University of Miami.
Edge Akheem Mesidor played two seasons at West Virginia and four seasons at University of Miami.
