The Chargers have added to their edge rusher room with their first pick.
Akheem Mesidor was Los Angeles’ first-round selection at No. 22 overall, adding to a room that includes Khalil Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu.
Tuipulotu is almost 18 months younger than Mesidor despite entering the final year of his rookie deal in 2026. Mesidor turned 25 earlier this month, while Tuipulotu turns 24 in September.
Evidently, the Chargers believe that they are close enough to competing that adding a 25-year-old rookie to their pass rush rotation did not faze them.
Originally a defensive tackle at West Virginia, Mesidor eventually slimmed down and moved out to the edge for Miami in 2025. He missed all but 2 games in 2023 with injuries to both feet, but played two healthy seasons in 2024 and 2025, earning Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2024 and Second Team All-American honors in 2025. He led the ACC in sacks and led Miami in forced fumbles and tackles for loss as a sixth-year senior.
A physical run defender who is “always playing 100 mph,” according to Dane Brugler’s The Beast, Mesidor can reduce inside in sub-packages, which could allow the Chargers to get creative with their fronts since Mack and Tuipulotu also have that value. But he lacks high-end NFL explosiveness and finds himself out of position too often for a player of his age.
Much of Mesidor’s production came from leveraging his athleticism against interior offensive linemen, but his power profile against tackles lacked knockback frequently, and he has yet to develop his bag of counters in an effective way. He is capable of winning with inside moves, but those are generally less effective in the NFL than in college because of the increased athleticism of NFL tackles.
LA will be betting that edge coach Dylan Roney can hone Mesidor’s tools after only a year of true edge experience, but a bet on a player without an NFL-winning profile who is already 25 seems a bit rich.
This article originally appeared on Chargers Wire: 2026 NFL Draft: Why the Chargers selected EDGE Akheem Mesidor
Reporting by Alex Katson, Chargers Wire / Chargers Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
