Akheem Mesidor DL/EDGE Miami (FL) | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Akheem Mesidor DL/EDGE Miami (FL)
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 06/29/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 24.6 DOB: 01/01/2000 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| SUB-POSITION: VERSATILE DL | |
| Last Updated: 06/29/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.90 seconds (61%*) | |
| Age: 24.6 DOB: 01/01/2000 | |
|
SHARE THIS PROFILE:
|
| Overall Rating: | 80.2 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
|
79% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Tackling: |
|
74% |
| Pass Rush: |
|
77% |
| Run Defense: |
|
81% |
|
DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#178
Position rank:
#34
|
||
| College Games: 36 College Snaps: 1292 | ||
ESPN RATING: 80/100
College Combine Results
|
||
247 RATING: 86/100
|
||
|
Ovr Rank:
#69
Pos Rank:
#160
College Combine Results
|
||
| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Matthew Butler - Tennessee |
|
90% |
| Byron Young - Alabama |
|
88% |
| Jeremiah Martin - Washington |
|
80% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Hailing from Ottawa, Ontario, Akheem Mesidor has taken a unique path to the NFL Draft. After a stint at the Royal Imperial Collegiate of Canada, Mesidor made waves at Clearwater Academy International in Florida, racking up 92 tackles and 10 sacks in his senior year. His dominance caught the eye of college recruiters, earning him a 4-star rating from ESPN.Mesidor's college career began at West Virginia, where he quickly established himself as a defensive standout. In just two seasons with the Mountaineers, he amassed 70 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and 9.5 sacks. His freshman campaign was particularly impressive, earning him spots on multiple Freshman All-America teams and All-Big 12 Second Team honors.
Transferring to Miami (FL) for his junior season, Mesidor continued to wreak havoc in the backfield. Despite an injury-shortened 2023 campaign, his 2022 performance showcased his potential, notching 38 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, and a team-leading seven sacks. His standout game against Virginia Tech, where he recorded 3.5 sacks, earned him national recognition as the Walter Camp National FBS Defensive Player of the Week.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Explosive first step allows him to consistently penetrate the backfield, evidenced by his 10.5 TFLs in 2022
- Versatile defender capable of lining up at multiple positions along the defensive front, increasing his value in various schemes
- Demonstrates excellent hand usage and leverage, allowing him to shed blocks effectively and maintain gap integrity
- High motor player who pursues plays relentlessly, often making tackles downfield or on the opposite side of the formation
- Showcases good bend and flexibility for his size, enabling him to turn the corner as an edge rusher
- Strong football IQ, as seen in his ability to diagnose plays quickly and react accordingly
- Proven production against high-level competition in both the Big 12 and ACC conferences
- Disruptive in the passing game beyond sacks, with multiple passes batted down at the line of scrimmage
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Slightly undersized for an interior defensive lineman at the NFL level, which may limit his effectiveness against double teams
- Injury history is a concern, having missed most of the 2023 season due to an undisclosed injury
- Can occasionally get washed out of plays when facing larger, more powerful offensive linemen
- Sometimes relies too heavily on his initial burst, leading to over-pursuit and creating running lanes
- Needs to develop a more diverse array of pass-rush moves to consistently beat NFL-caliber offensive linemen
Scouting Report: Summary
Mesidor projects as a versatile defensive lineman who can contribute in both 3-4 and 4-3 schemes at the next level. His ability to rush the passer from multiple positions will be highly valued by NFL coordinators looking to create mismatches along the line of scrimmage. While his size may limit him in some aspects, his quickness and tenacity should allow him to carve out a significant role as a rotational player early in his career.Teams running aggressive, one-gap defensive schemes will likely view Mesidor as an intriguing prospect. His first-step quickness and ability to penetrate make him an ideal fit for systems that prioritize disruption over gap control. However, he'll need to prove he can hold up against the run consistently to become an every-down player in the NFL.
Mesidor's draft stock will hinge on how teams view his medical reports following his injury-shortened 2023 season. If he can demonstrate that he's fully healthy and hasn't lost any of his explosive qualities, he possibly could be a day two selection with the potential to outperform his draft position. His combination of production, versatility, and high motor make him an enticing prospect for teams looking to bolster their defensive line rotation.
Written By:
Felix Green (ACC)
How other scouting services rate Akheem Mesidor (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
178.0
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
35.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.