Los Angeles Chargers select Miami’s Akheem Mesidor with No. 22 pick in 2026 NFL Draft
The New York Times • • sports
Key Points:
- The Los Angeles Chargers selected defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor from Miami with the 22nd pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, addressing their need for edge rushers after losing Odafe Oweh in free agency.
- Mesidor, a 6-foot-3, 259-pound Canadian, had a standout college career at West Virginia and Miami, finishing as a first-team All-ACC selection and ranking among the national leaders in sacks and pressures in 2025.
- Despite being 25 and having undergone multiple surgeries, Mesidor is praised for his high motor, physicality, and versatility to rush both inside and off the edge, projecting as an immediate contributor for the Chargers.
- The pick provides cost savings compared to Oweh’s $24 million annual contract, with Mesidor expected to earn around $5 million per year, complementing re-signed veteran Khalil Mack and rising star Tuli Tuipulotu in the Chargers’ defensive front.
- Mesidor’s addition creates competition among the Chargers’ edge rushers and strengthens their pass-rush packages under new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary, who continues the previous scheme emphasizing versatile edge defenders.
