Feb. 14, 2026, 9:45 a.m. ET

Akheem Mesidor, an EDGE defender for the University of Miami, has established himself as a premier defensive talent following a dominant 2025 season. The Lions have been searching for a consistent EDGE presence opposite Aidan Hutchinson for years which makes Mesidor a possibility in the 1st round.

Daniel Jeremiah has currently mocked him to the Lions at No. 17.

Below is my excerpt on Mesidor:

(Ages in parentheses are at start of 2026 season and are factored into the concern level. Injury info and ages based on available public information are unverified and subject to update. Games played data courtesy of sports-reference.com.)

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Concern level 5/10

2025: 15/16 games. Missed 1 game due to unspecified leg injury. Elbow injury during playoff semifinal but returned the next game.2024: 13/13 games.2023: Played 3 games. Torn ligaments in foot requiring surgery which ended his season.2022: 11/12 games2021: 13/13 games2020: 10/10 gamesA foot surgery for torn ligaments is definitely a concern going forward with one possible diagnosis being a Lisfranc. Any kind of foot surgery could be a chronic issue given the trickiness of the complex small anatomy. It’s reassuring however that he has played 2 strong seasons since the surgery.

The elbow is also worth looking into since he only played in one game (national championship) after that. Both of these issues will need to be fully vetted by medical.

His older age is also a significant factor. Mesidor compiled 52.5 TFL and 35.5 sacks in 6 years of college. Yes, 6 years.

Miami Career Statistics

Mesidor’s tenure at Miami (2022–2025) is highlighted by consistent production and All-ACC honors:

SeasonTacklesTFLSacksForced FumblesNotes2025 (Sr.)4612.07.0–12.5*4First-Team All-ACC; Top-5 graded PFF edge rusher2024 (R-Jr.)329.05.51All-ACC Honorable Mention; 13 starts2023 (Jr.)5—1.00Season limited to 2 full games due to injury2022 (So.)3810.57.01All-ACC Honorable Mention; team leader in sacks

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