Revisiting the 2026 NFL Draft: Can Akheem Mesidor be a building block for Chargers defense?

An 0-6 start shifts the conversation in Los Angeles to the future and which first-year contributors can serve as foundational pieces

Oct 23, 2026 at 2:25 pm ET • 1 min read

The Los Angeles Chargers are 0-6 to start the season. They did not lose a sixth game last season until the regular season finale. Instead of making playoff plans, the conversation in Los Angeles centers on which leadership changes may be needed and which players are building blocks for the next iteration of Chargers football. 

Is Akheem Mesidor a building block on defense?

Edge rusher had been a position commonly associated with Los Angeles leading up to the draft. Aside from Tuli Tuipulotu, the Chargers have leaned on Khalil Mack and Bud Dupree recently; both of whom are 33 years or older. Miami's Akheem Mesidor was expected to be the present and the future of a defense trying to find its footing in a post-Jesse Minter world. 

To this point, he has played 192 of a potential 367 defensive snaps. A trade involving Mack, who has played 71.4% of defensive snaps, would open the door for more playing time opposite Tuipulotu. 

Through six games, Mesidor has 10 pressures and 2.5 sacks. Most of his pressures and production result from playing to the whistle rather than winning quickly at the line of scrimmage. The Ontario native has brought his go-to chop-and-swipe moves off the edge from college to the pros, but he lacks an overwhelming trait that would allow him to consistently win off the line of scrimmage.  However, he does a good job setting the edge in the run game and forcing the opposition to play between the tackles.

Long-term outlook

If Tuipulotu can disrupt the pocket and move the quarterback off his spot, Mesidor could be a complementary starter who offers a solid floor in the run game and helps clean up the chaos. There is not much untapped potential, considering he is a 25-year-old who played six seasons of college football. 

Could they have gone in another direction? There is a negligible difference between Mesidor and other edge rushers taken after him in the first round. They could have taken the undersized R Mason Thomas or Cashius Howell if they wanted more pass rush production. Dani Dennis Sutton (Packers) is another quality player who was taken later.

His presence allows the organization to focus on other positions of need, such as cornerback, offensive line and more. Los Angeles is realizing its defensive needs may have been masked by Minter's influence.