All-22 Review: Akheem Mesidor vs. Indiana (CFBPO National Championship)

Here Mesidor grabs the RT and drives him back into the play. A true power bull rush type of move from a WIDE 5 technique pic.twitter.com/DnljF8Vvyh

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Above– Mesidor is in a WIDE-5 technique here and while setting the edge he pull rushes the LT back with pure power. Mesidor played well while being lighter without losing his power production in his hips.

Bend, dip, rip and meet Rueben Bain Jr. at the QB. 1st overall pick, QB Fernando Mendoza, gets sandwiched between two UM 1st rounders here. Talent on talent. pic.twitter.com/J1tiMOP7kl

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Above– Bain’s elite 1a at bending around OT’s and Mesidor is just behind him at 1b. Mendoza is sandwiched between Bain and Mesidor here with both DE’s lined up very wide.

A very plus quality for Mesidor is his hand fighting. Here he chops down the OG's hands and his bend and dip is excellent as well. He pressures Mendoza into an INC pass pic.twitter.com/g0oPNelTm4

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Above– Mesidor really improved his hand****fighting this season. The ‘chop’ on the OG’s hands and the bend and dip around allowed him to force a Mendoza INC pass.

Slap, swim, hurdle a 300# teammate and finish at the QB. The kind of 'motor' you love to see from a pass rusher pic.twitter.com/Qn64HjONcA

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Above– The ‘more than a big guy’ status was achieved on clips like this. Mesidor slaps down the hands, uses a swim move, hurdles Justin Scott and finishes at the QB. That’s motor, folks.

Rip, bend, and a near strip sack of Mendoza for Mesidor in the 2nd half of the natty. pic.twitter.com/IFT2eEqEKF

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Above– Against the RT, Mesidor rips the hands, uses great bend, and nearlystrip****sacks Mendoza on this one. If he had come away with the ball it could’ve been a game neutralizer vs. the IU punt block and return.

Hoosiers running 'duo' and Mesidor shows how to fight a double team. Stay tough then get skinny and split it. His power is NFL ready pic.twitter.com/sbouHLKpqk

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Above– IU ran “Duo” and Mesidor fights the double team beautifully. Use strength to neutralize it, get skinny, split the double. His power is NFL-ready.

Mesidor's motor and fight are what makes him special. He's completely out of this play but because he stays active he winds up involved in the sack. pic.twitter.com/ms88i8Hku0

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Above– Stem, use your quick lateral step, spin, and finish involved in the sack. He’s proving his versatility working wide, tight, and inside.

More relentless effort from Mesidor, the new LA Charger. His fight gets him in a rugby tackle situation down on the ground for a double leg pic.twitter.com/heRSZ5x4kZ

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Above– You like to see guys able to make tackles at different levels. From the knees he’s able to make a play low in a double-leg takedown scenario that looks more like rugby than football.

The Wrap

Mesidor has an injury history and was a man playing against youngin’s for Miami in 2025. After six seasons in college football you would hope he would dominate the ACC and college game. The reason I used Mesidor’s tape against Indiana is that they were an experienced team that could match age, experience and strength with him upfront. I think he acquitted himself as more than a ‘bully’ of underclassmen in the playoff, and specifically vs. Indiana.