Name: Akheem Mesidor
Position: Edge rusher
School: Miami
Ht/Wt: 6-3, 259
40-yard dash: Did not run
Bench: Did not bench
Vertical: Did not jump
Broad: Did not jump
3-cone: Did not run
20-yard shuttle: Did not run
View photos of 2026 NFL Draft edge rusher prospect Akheem Mesidor.
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor rushes in on the Ohio State offense during the first half of the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Sept. 6, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) during the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) during the second half of an NCAA college football game, Friday, Oct. 17, 2025, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Michael Laughlin)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor lines up for a play during the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game between Ohio State and Miami Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor rushes in during the Cotton Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game between Ohio State and Miami Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (3) during the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football playoff semifinal game against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (51) speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (51) speaks during a press conference at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2026. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Miami defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor (51) watches participants at the NFL football scouting combine, Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, in Indianapolis. (Gregory Payan/AP Content Services for NFL)
How he fits: The Lions currently have just two true edge rushers on their roster for next season in Aidan Hutchinson and Ahmed Hassanein as that's a position Detroit will continue to look to reinforce in free agency and in next month's NFL Draft.
Mesidor was a highly productive edge rusher for Miami and enters the draft coming off a 2025 season in which he recorded 12.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, four forced fumbles and 63 total tackles helping lead Miami to the National Championship Game.
He plays with a ton of juice off the edge and has a nice tool bag of pass rush moves in his repertoire. He does a nice job setting an edge and plays strong in the run game. Miami used him both on the edge and inside, where he was equally effective. Teams will value that kind of versatility.
An older draft eligible player, Mesidor turns 25 years old in April.
Key observations: Mesidor's 92.5 pass rush grade in 2025 was the seventh highest among all FBS pass rushers.
What they had to say about him: "Mesidor is an instinctive, high-effort edge rusher with a fluid rush style and a deep toolbox. He bursts upfield and can shrink the corner while punishing oversetting tackles with inside counters. He strings moves together with effortless mid-rush adjustments, utilizing harmonious hands and feet to carve efficient tracks into the pocket. He's a problem for guards when reduced inside, too.
"His urgency shows up in run defense, where he uses play strength and short-area quickness to disrupt blocking schemes and stay around the football. He won't be as long as most edge-setters and his anchor at the point is just average. The talent and motor are obvious, but his age and injury history could push some teams to discount his grade below what the tape shows." — NFL analyst Lance Zierlein
Go behind the scenes with the Detroit Lions during 2026 free agency.
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Cade Mays during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco and Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Isiah Pacheco during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions offensive lineman Larry Borom during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) signs a free agent contract at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Tom Kennedy (85) signs a free agent contract at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on Wednesday, March 11, 2026.
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien signs his contract during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien signs his contract during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive back Christian Izien during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske (53) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Trevor Nowaske (53) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin and his family during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 12, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 13, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Tyler Conklin during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 13, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) with his family as he signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (44) during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) signs his contract at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during his visit at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Rock Ya-Sin (23) during his press conference at the Meijer Performance Center on March 16, 2026 in Allen Park, Mich. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
How he stacks up: Mesidor is the No. 22 overall prospect in NFL media analyst Daniel Jeremiah's latest ranking of the Top 50 players available in the draft. Jeremiah has just three edge rushers – David Bailey, Arvell Reese and Rueben Bain Jr. – ranked higher than Mesidor.
Mesidor comes in at No. 19 on Dane Brugler of The Athletic's list of the Top 100 players in the class.
"After several years of flash plays, Mesidor put it all together as a super senior and made significant strides with his pass-rush instincts," Brugler wrote of Mesidor. "Along with urgent upfield quickness, he has aggressive, well-timed hands and a deep bag of rush moves, which allows him to vary his attack and create challenging angles for blockers. Because of his age and injury history, Mesidor won't be universally loved, but his 2025 tape shows a disruptive force."
NFL.com lead draft writer Eric Edholm recently released his list of the Top 100 players available in the draft and Mesidor comes in at No. 23.
Matt Miller of ESPN lists Mesidor as the No. 30 overall prospect on his Top 50. Mesidor comes in at No. 18 on ESPN draft analyst Jordan Reid's Top 50 prospects.
"He's an aggressive and heavy-handed edge prospect that was a tough ask for any offensive lineman to block," Reid said of Mesidor.
"He's on the older side (turns 25 in April), but all the sources I talked to said Mesidor's age won't be a major factor in his evaluation."
What he had to say: "You can call me a seasoned rookie," Mesidor said of his age at the NFL Scouting Combine. "I think I'm coming in more mature with a different approach and different mentality than a lot of younger guys. I think my age can be a plus depending how you look at it."
