Akheem Mesidor is ready to make Southern California his new football home. The Los Angeles Chargers selected the Canadian edge rusher in the first round, No. 22 overall, of the NFL draft Thursday night. The 25-year-old Ottawa native is eager to begin his professional career.
"I'm ready to fly out to Los Angeles and get around the building ... and really just get to work," Mesidor said during a Chargers zoom call. "Get anything I have to do out of the way as soon as I can so I can get on to the football field. I can't wait."
Historic Selection for Canadian Players
Mesidor, who played collegiately at Miami, became the sixth Canadian-born player taken in the first round of the NFL draft. However, he is the first Canadian on the defensive side of the ball to achieve this milestone. The Chargers' selection of Mesidor ensures that at least one Canadian has been chosen in every NFL draft since 2011.
He was the fourth edge rusher off the board in the first 22 selections and the second Hurricane selected, as teammate Rueben Bain Jr. went 15th overall to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Player Profile and College Career
The six-foot-three, 265-pound Mesidor enjoyed a stellar 2025 season at Miami. He started 15 games and registered 63 tackles (36 solo, 17.5 for loss) with 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles. Mesidor finished the year by recording three tackles (two solo) and two sacks in Miami's 27-21 NCAA championship loss to Indiana.
He was an All-ACC first-team selection. Mesidor played his first two collegiate seasons at West Virginia and started 52 of 65 career NCAA games, recording 205 tackles (121 solo, 50.5 for loss) and 33.5 sacks.
Expert Analysis and Future Outlook
Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network's draft guru, praised Mesidor's performance. "He was an outstanding player with Rueben Bain with the Hurricanes," Jeremiah said. "This guy plays with unbelievable passion and energy on the edge, inside as well." Jeremiah had ranked Mesidor 18th in his first top-50 prospects list and projected him as high as 15th overall in his mock drafts.
Following the season, Mesidor attended the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, in January before participating in the NFL combine in Indianapolis in February. He had a formal visit with Los Angeles before the draft.
Joining a Talented Defense
Tuli Tuipulotu had a team-high 13 sacks last season for the Chargers. Los Angeles also re-signed veteran edge rusher Khalil Mack to a one-year deal as the 35-year-old returns for a 13th NFL campaign and fourth with L.A. Jeremiah noted, "Mack is a little bit older at 35. So they (Chargers) want to get somebody who can be that successor but someone who can roll through like they do."
Mesidor plans to learn from Mack this season. "He's a legend," Mesidor said of Mack. "I'm going to learn so much from him. I can't wait."
