The Los Angeles Chargers selected edge rusher Akheem Mesidor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, focusing on defense. Mesidor, with 35.5 career sacks, is expected to contribute immediately alongside Khalil Mack.
Key points
LA Chargers had one first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft
Chargers selected Akheem Mesidor, an edge rusher from Miami
Mesidor recorded 35.5 total sacks in his college career
He is expected to contribute immediately to the Chargers' defense
Khalil Mack leads the defensive unit Mesidor will join
Los Angeles Chargers2026 NFL DraftAkheem MesidorMiami
The Los Angeles Chargers had just one pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and decided to spend that on the defensive side of the ball.
Akheem Mesidor, the edge rusher from Miami, will have the opportunity to learn among a defensive unit led by Khalil Mack. At the age of 25 years old, he could be viewed as a plug-and-play option for the Bolts this season.
Mesidor finished his college career with 35.5 total sacks, including 12.5 in 2025. He spent two years at West Virginia before transferring to Miami for the last four years of his career.
His 35.5 total sacks tie him for third, along with Central Florida's Bruce Miller (2007-10) and Washington's Hau'oli Kikaha (2010-14), among the NCAA career sack leaders.
Only Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson (45 sacks, 2015-18) and Ja'Von Rolland-Jones (43.5 sacks, 2014-17) had more.
Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
Q&A
Who did the LA Chargers draft in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft?
The LA Chargers drafted edge rusher Akheem Mesidor from Miami.
What are Akheem Mesidor's career sack statistics?
Akheem Mesidor finished his college career with 35.5 total sacks, including 12.5 in 2025.
How does Akheem Mesidor rank among NCAA career sack leaders?
Mesidor's 35.5 sacks tie him for third among NCAA career sack leaders.
What impact is expected from Akheem Mesidor on the Chargers' defense?
Mesidor is viewed as a plug-and-play option for the Chargers' defense, learning alongside Khalil Mack.
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Los Angeles Chargers' first-round draft grade
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)
Grade: B
"Looks like a Jim Harbaugh player. Plays like a Jim Harbaugh player. And now, he is a Jim Harbaugh player. The 25-year-old Mesidor touted himself as a 'seasoned rookie' as he prepared to enter the league as an older and more experienced entity than his peers. Harbaugh, however, surely relished the non-stop motor Mesidor deployed to chase down opposing quarterbacks.
"The Bolts' pass rush worked best when it had three legitimate threats to rotate at edge, and Mesidor can round out that group while serving as the long-term successor to Khalil Mack." – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz