Chargers discuss first-round selection of Akheem Mesidor
Chargers head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz talked about why the team selected edge rusher Akheem Mesidor in the first round.
The Chargers selected edge rusher Akheem Mesidor with the No. 22 overall pick on the first day of the 2026 NFL Draft. There wasn't a general consensus when it came to which route the Bolts would go with their first-round pick Thursday night.
The team had needs on both offense and defense, but ultimately, the organization prioritized coordinator Chris O'Leary's unit. Mesidor is coming off a dominant season where he posted 63 tackles, 17. 5 tackles for loss, 12.
5 sacks, and four forced fumbles, but his age became a question and even a concern in some draft analysis. The 2025 campaign was the 25-year-old's sixth season of his collegiate career. General manager Joe Hortiz discussed Mesidor's age and why his maturity played a role in the draft room.
"We interviewed him in Indy. You felt that in the room," Hortiz said of the edge's maturity. "He's experienced.