Chargers fans were hoping Vega Ioane would somehow fall to the No. 22 pick or that the team would trade back to pick up more draft capital. Neither thing happened, but fans should still be happy nonetheless. With the No. 22 pick, the Chargers took Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor.
Mesidor played alongside one of the best edge rushers in college in Reuben Bain and should have no problems instantly translating to the NFL. Mesidor is one of the older prospects in the draft at 25 years old and will use that experience to instantly make an impact on the Chargers.
In addition to replacing Odafe Oweh as the Chargers' third edge rusher, Mesidor is also the theoretical long-term replacement for Khalil Mack.
Akheem Mesidor should be Tuli Tuipulotu's long-term running mate on the Chargers
Ironically enough, Mesidor is a whole two years older than Tuipulotu, who emerged as arguably the best player on the Chargers' defense last season. Tuipulotu is due for an extension this offseason while Mesidor could play until he is 30 just on his rookie deal.
That factor played a role in his fall. If Mesidor was 22 with the exact same skillset then there's a real case to be made that he would have gone in the top 10. However, at 25 years old, teams know that they are probably only getting five years of great play out of the prospect.
This works in the Chargers' favor. Not every pick has to be a franchise icon and the Chargers needed someone who could make an impact right away while also replacing Mack in the medium term. Sure, Mesidor probably won't be wrecking quarterbacks 10 years from now, but that's not what the Chargers need.
Mesidor recorded 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss last season. He's borderline elite in run defense and will provide pass-rushing upside right away. Mesidor ranked 26th on FanSided's big board ahead of the draft.
The one red flag with Mesidor is his injury history in college. Mesidor tore ligaments in both feet across the 2022 and 2023 season and had offseason surgery on his shoulder after the 2021 season. However, Mesidor has mostly quelled those concerns by playing 28 games the last two seasons.
Guard is now the biggest need for the Chargers in the second round of the draft. Los Angeles invested in one side of the trenches, in round two, it will be time for the other side.
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