Chris O’Leary raves about Chargers rookie Akheem Mesidor

Chargers defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary delivered glowing remarks about first-round draft pick Akheem Mesidor, spotlighting the edge rusher’s maturity, football intellect, and refined technique.

O’Leary was particularly impressed by Mesidor’s mindset and preparation. “Mature, professional, technician on the field,” he said. “When you listen to him talk about pass rush, you can tell he loves the game, you can tell he’s got a high football IQ, you can tell he’s really into building his craft and treating his pass rush like a craft.”

O'Leary highlighted the rookie’s immediate mental readiness for the NFL. “That’s what I see when I look at him,” he added. “I see a guy that is going to walk in here, compete with everybody and is already at a place mentally where he approaches the game as a pro.”

Selected No. 22 overall out of Miami, the 25-year-old Mesidor joins a talented Chargers edge rusher group alongside Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu.

O’Leary went into detail on Mesidor’s on-field strengths: “His pass rush technique. You talk about how he uses his hands, the leverage he plays with, how he attacks different tackles in different ways, his timing, his get-off, how he can move into the interior in his pass rush.” He concluded by calling Mesidor “an exceptional pass rusher,” noting the staff’s plans to nurture his development while integrating his versatility into the defensive scheme.

In his standout 2025 final college season, Mesidor recorded 12.5 sacks across 15 games. He boasted 71 total pressures, 21.3% pass-rush win (94th percentile) rate and 16.0% pressure rate, according to Pro Football Focus.

Mesidor should play a prominent rotational role in his rookie season, projecting as the primary third edge rusher, with versatility to kick inside on passing downs. His relentless motor, hand usage, and array of pass-rush moves make him a mismatch weapon right off the bat.