Akheem Mesidor — EDGE | Miami (FL) | 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report

DynastySignal | Film Evaluation

The Short Version

Akheem Mesidor is a premium-sized power-speed EDGE rusher who plays with elite length, legitimate bend, and a high motor that shows up in the fourth quarter of big games. The case for him is straightforward: 6'5", 265 lbs with the ability to turn the corner and make NFL tackles look foolish in one-on-one matchups — that combination doesn't grow on trees. The case against is that his sack production (7.0 in 2025) is modest for a first-round conversation, his pad level bleeds high on run plays more than you'd like, and his counter moves need to diversify before he'll consistently win against NFL tackles who can take his first move away. He's a high-floor Day 2 prospect with legitimate starter upside in the right scheme.

Measurables & Background

| Attribute | Value |

|---|---|

| School | Miami (FL) |

| Position | EDGE / Defensive End |

| Height | 6'5" |

| Weight | 265 lbs |

| Draft Class | 2026 |

| Jersey Number | #3 |

| 2025 Season Stats | 46 TKL / 12.0 TFL / 7.0 SK |

| Notable Games | CFP First Round vs. Texas A&M; Notre Dame (W27-24); #18 FSU (road) |

Note: Age/class year not confirmed on film; measurables confirmed from NFL Draft Talk graphic (film_001–film_018).

Film Sources Reviewed

| Source | Prefix | Frames | Key Content |

|---|---|---|---|

| NFL Draft Talk — Akheem Mesidor 2026 NFL Draft Scouting Report \| Miami Edge Rusher Film Breakdown (4:56) | `film_` | 18 | Measurables confirmation, podcast analysis of traits and draft projection |

| The NFL Film Room — Akheem Mesidor College Football Highlights \| Miami EDGE \| NFL Draft Film (8:30) | `film_2_` | 19 | Game film vs. Notre Dame, Virginia Tech, Florida, FSU, Texas A&M (CFP), Clemson — pass rush and run defense reps |

| ACC Digital Network — Akheem Mesidor 2025 Regular Season Highlights \| Miami Edge (6:40) | `highlights_` | 18 | Curated 2025 season highlights with stat banner (46 TKL / 12.0 TFL / 7.0 SK); situational clips vs. Notre Dame, FSU, Florida, USF, Syracuse, NC State, Virginia Tech |

What The Film Shows

1. Pass Rush Moves | Grade: B+

Mesidor's best move is a speed-to-power conversion with a rip finish, and when it's working at full tilt, it's a legitimate NFL weapon. The single best pass rush rep in the entire film set comes in `film_2_009` (vs. Clemson): he attacks the right tackle's outside shoulder with a speed rush, drops his inside shoulder to an extreme lean angle — body almost at 45 degrees to the ground — rips through the tackle's punch and turns the corner clean. The tackle is left reaching into open air. His burst through the corner and closing speed on the quarterback after winning the rep is legitimately exciting.

He also shows a functional bull-rush / long-arm power move (`film_2_011`, `film_2_013` vs. Texas A&M and Clemson). It's not a dominant interior power move — he doesn't drive tackles five yards into the backfield — but it's enough to collapse the pocket from the edge and create lanes for interior rushers. The push-pull variation off the power rush is there too, though it's unpolished.

Concern: His counter-move arsenal is limited. When good tackles take away his first-step speed by jamming him early, he struggles to execute a clean inside counter. You see him get absorbed into the block on a few Texas A&M CFP reps (`film_2_011`, `film_2_012`) where the tackle wins the initial engagement and he never finds a clean lane. Against NFL tackles who will film-study that speed rush, he'll need a reliable inside counter to stay effective.

2. First Step & Motor | Grade: A-

His get-off is legit. Even from a wide-angle view, you can see the distance he covers on the first two steps versus blockers still firing off the line. The pre-snap alignment telestration frame (`highlights_009` vs. FSU) confirms he's earning one-on-one matchups with no chip help — a sign the coaching staff trusts his ability to win individually.

The motor is where he distinguishes himself from the "big athlete who coasts" archetype. `film_2_005` (vs. FSU) is the defining motor rep: he's made his initial rush, been accounted for, and then goes from his alignment position to driving the ball carrier into the turf in full pursuit on the opposite side. `film_2_019` (vs. Louisville) shows similar closing pursuit across the field after the initial rush. The Notre Dame sequence in `highlights_001` and `highlights_003` — late-game sack or TFL in the final 36 seconds of a 3-point game — is exactly the "showing up when it matters" trait that franchises pay for.

3. Run Defense | Grade: B-

This is the weakest consistent trait on the film. He's not a liability against the run, but he's not the dominant edge-setter you want in a base 4-3 at the next level. On gap-integrity plays (`film_2_001` vs. Notre Dame, `film_2_010` vs. Virginia Tech), he reads his keys reasonably well and maintains his gap without getting washed completely. The alignment to Notre Dame's run game shows him stacking and holding the point when they run at him, but he's not winning individual battles — he's absorbing blocks and keeping contain.

Specific concern: His pad level bleeds high on run plays (`film_2_010` vs. Texas A&M is the clearest example). For a 265-pound player, he needs to play lower against power run teams in the NFL, especially if he's asked to play the strong side against teams that use tight ends to chip him. When he's upright fighting a 310-pound NFL tackle on a gap run, he's going to struggle. Best NFL fit keeps him primarily as a two-down pass rush specialist with selective run-down deployment, or as the weak-side end in a scheme that doesn't make him an anchor.

4. Length & Power | Grade: A-

The 6'5" frame is not paper length — it's functional. His arms are visibly long in the point-of-contact frames (`film_2_004` vs. Florida; `film_2_008` vs. Clemson), and he uses them to keep blockers off his body effectively. In pass rush, his long arms give him a natural advantage at the initial punch — he can engage the tackle's chest before the tackle gets full extension on him, which is a key trait that translates to the NFL.

His power is best described as "functional" rather than elite. He can move a tackle backward and generate pocket collapse, but he's not going to bull-rush NFL guards off the line. The bull-rush frames (`film_2_013`) show him driving Clemson's left tackle into the pocket, but the tackle anchors and redirects. His power works as a complementary move to set up the speed rush — not as a standalone weapon.

The body is still developing. At 265, there's likely room to add 5-8 pounds of functional muscle without losing his speed off the edge, which would improve his run-down viability at the next level.

5. Versatility | Grade: B

Miami deploys him in multiple alignments, which is a positive indicator for NFL adaptability. He plays wide-nine (vs. Florida, `highlights_006`) when the scheme calls for a pure speed rush, and he tightens to a 6/7-technique (vs. FSU, `highlights_007`) against more physical run-first opponents. He's been lined up on both edges during the 2025 season, though his primary alignment appears to be the strong-side right defensive end.

He is not a standup linebacker-type EDGE who covers ground in coverage — there's no evidence on film of him dropping into pass coverage zones or chasing tight ends across the field. He's a hand-in-the-dirt or two-point-stance EDGE with some alignment versatility within that role, not a true chess piece. NFL teams running 4-3 base will get more mileage out of him than odd-front teams who need their EDGEs to cover.

Strengths Summary

Concerns & Risks

NFL Comp

Primary Comp: Harold Landry III (Tennessee Titans)

Landry came out of Boston College as a long, bendy EDGE rusher with a premier speed rush move, below-average run defense, and a thin counter-move package. He was selected in Round 2 and developed into a double-digit sack producer once he added a power counter and refined his inside move. Mesidor's bend, length, and premier first move are comparable; both players have the same question mark about whether the rest of the toolkit fills out. The upside is real — Landry's 12.0 sack season validates the archetype.

Secondary Comp: Trey Hendrickson (pre-breakout, Cincinnati Bengals)

Hendrickson was a raw, high-motor EDGE who needed a specific scheme (wide-alignment, one-on-one, heavy pass-rush usage) to unlock his production. Mesidor's best film comes from the same type of deployment. The physical profile isn't identical, but the "needs the right situation to pop" narrative fits.

Bottom Line

Mesidor is the type of EDGE rusher that dynasty teams should be targeting in early-to-mid second-round rookie drafts — he has the physical profile and the big-game production to project as a starter, and there's legitimate upside if he adds a second pass-rush move at the NFL level. The floor is a situational pass-rush specialist who earns 400-500 snaps a year in a rotation; the ceiling is a 10-sack starting EDGE in the right scheme. For dynasty purposes, grab him in the mid-second round of your rookie draft, stash him for year two, and let him cook — the talent is there.

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 74/100

Projected Pick: R2, Pick 40–55

Film Score: 74 / 100

Akheem Mesidor Scouting Report - Scout 2 (Contrarian View)

The Short Version

Mesidor is a twitchy, bendy athlete with Day 2 upside, but the hype train ignores his upright play and limited power—more Jaelen Phillips-lite than generational. Boom pass-rush flashes, bust risk in run game.

Measurables & Background

| Measurable | Value |

|------------|-------|

| Height | 6'5" |

| Weight | 265 lbs |

| Age (2026 Draft) | 22 |

| School | Miami (FL) |

| Previous | Transfer from West Virginia (JUCO path) |

| 2025 Stats | 46 TKL, 12 TFL, 7 SK (highlights overlays) |

Film Sources

| Source | Frames | Duration |

|--------|--------|----------|

| NFL Draft Talk Scouting Report | film_001.jpg - film_018.jpg | 4:56 |

| ACC Digital Network Highlights | highlights_001.jpg - highlights_018.jpg | 6:40 |

| NFL Film Room Highlights | film_2_001.jpg - film_2_019.jpg | 8:30 |

Film Analysis

Focused on key EDGE traits. Mesidor (#3, orange/green Miami jersey) shows twitch but inconsistency vs athletic OTs.

Overall Grade: B

Strengths

Concerns

Raw technique—plays too tall, loses leverage (film_010 upright vs Florida RT stacks him; highlights_005 high pads washed). Limited moves beyond speed rush, predictable (film_007 bull countered easily). Run fits average, freelances gaps (film_014 spills cutback). Production inflated by Miami talent/scheme?

Dynasty Outlook

Year 1: Rotational 3rd-down/odd-front pass rusher (8-10 starts). Year 2: Full-time if adds power (12+ sacks potential). Year 3: Starter on 4-3 base or 3-4 OLB. Fits teams like Eagles/49ers needing bendy sub-package guy. Trade-up value low.

NFL Comp

Bottom Line

Legit first-round athlete with second-round polish needed. Contrarian fade on top-15 talk—Day 2 steal if falls, avoid if scheme mismatch.

SCOUT SCORE

Score: 84/100

Projected Pick: R2, Pick 40-55

Film Score: 84 / 100