Chargers NFL draft roundup: Akheem Mesidor picked

It was no secret the Chargers had been looking for a move rusher in the first spherical of the NFL draft on Thursday evening — and they discovered one.

The Chargers chosen former Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor at No. 22 total, making him the inheritor obvious for Khalil Mack in a pass-rushing unit that was hit arduous by Odafe Oweh leaving in free company.

“He has a relentless motor, a highly productive pass rusher, physical player versus the run,” said Chargers common supervisor Joe Hortiz, who added he was satisfied Mesidor wouldn’t be accessible at No. 22. “Just a guy whose motor never turns off when you put the film on.

“He was on a heater all year and played some of his best ball down the stretch in the playoffs. Just really fired up to get him.”

The 6-foot-3, 259-pound Mesidor ought to present fast depth to a edge-rushing unit that wants to recoup some of the manufacturing Oweh took to Washington. And with Mack’s profession being renewed on a year-to-year foundation, Mesidor will get the prospect to be taught from Mack, Tuli Tuipulotu and Bud Dupree before seeing a probably beginning position in the seasons forward.

“I finally know where I’m going and I can’t wait to get there and move all my stuff out to the West Coast,” Mesidor said in a convention call with reporters. “I want people to look at me like, man, this guy came to work.

“I am ready to play right now. I have the motor and relentless effort.”

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh was excited about Mesidor becoming a member of Tuipulotu and Mack on the sphere: “That’s fire, as the young people would say.”

The Chargers will probably be hoping Mesidor is a fast learner — at 25 years outdated, the Canadian-born Mesidor is older than a typical first-round choose.

Hortiz wasn’t involved about Mesidor’s age being an issue.

“Age is just a number. He is very experienced,” Hortiz told reporters. “We got a guy who is 35 years old [Mack] who is still kicking ass.”

Still, Mesidor has intimidating credentials. He had 35½ profession sacks and posted 12½ sacks with Miami last season in its run to the national championship recreation. He also had 17½ tackles for loss last season. He completed 2025 with the sixth-best protection grade (92.5) by Pro Football Focus and had the third-best run protection grade (88.3) among FBS edge rushers.

The one concern with Mesidor are the injury points that lengthened his keep in the faculty ranks to six years. He underwent shoulder surgical procedure in 2021 and in 2022 had surgical procedure to restore ligaments in both toes. In 2025, however, he performed in 15 of 16 video games for the Hurricanes.

“We thoroughly evaluate everybody medically,” Hortiz said.

The Chargers had loads of choices for a move rusher at No. 22 — Malachi Lawrence, T.J. Parker, Keldric Faulk and Dillon Thieneman had been still accessible — but Mesidor was the participant they needed. Hortiz said Mesidor’s standout play in the postseason with Miami coupled with how he impressed them at the NFL scouting mix in the end performed big components in their resolution to draft him.

“[People] talked about how much of a worker he is, how great of a person he is, focused,” Hortiz said. “We interviewed him in Indy and you just felt that in the room, he’s a football player.

“Mature, driven, intelligent, wants to work. He’s going to fit right in here.”

Chargers choose Jake Slaughter in second spherical

The Chargers bolstered their offensive line by deciding on former Florida middle Jake Slaughter at No. 63 total in the second spherical of the draft on Friday.

It’s clear that the Chargers intend to play the 6-foot-4, 303-pound Slaughter primarily at guard as they appear change Zion Johnson, who left in free company. Slaughter, 23, ranked 18th among FBS facilities in move block grade (84.1) and third in run block grade (80.2) in 2025, per Pro Football Focus. Over 748 snaps last season, he allowed 4 whole pressures, one sack and one hit.

A 3-year starter at Florida, Slaughter is predicted to compete with Chargers left guard Trevor Penning or proper guard Cole Strange for a beginning position. He also may back up middle Tyler Biadasz.

Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert was sacked 54 instances in 2025, third most in the NFL, and discovering offensive line depth was among the staff’s priorities coming into the draft.

The Chargers picked Slaughter after they traded the No. 55 choose to the New England Patriots for the 63rd, 131st and 202nd picks in this 12 months’s draft. The Chargers also traded their No. 86 choose to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for the a hundred and fifth (fourth spherical), 145th (fourth) and 206th (sixth) picks.