Akheem Mesidor is one of the many defensive line prospects who figure to be connected to the Chicago Bears between now and the 2026 NFL Draft.
Even after adding to the interior defensive line depth with a trio of free agency signings, Chicago’s football team still has needs on the outside at the edge defender spot. This is where someone like Mesidor can come into play. And with Bears GM Ryan Poles among those in attendance (h/t Cameron Wolfe via Twitter/X) at Miami’s pro day on Monday, it is easy to connect the dots and imagine that Mesidor was someone who had the attention of those in attendance — including Chicago’s general manager.
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A brief look at what you need to know about the University of Miami (Fla.) prospect, who was at West Virginia University for the 2020 and 2021 college football seasons:
Second-team All-American (2025) First-team All-ACC (2025) Third-team All-Big 12 (2021) Second-team All-Big 12 (2020)That is a good-looking résumé. But is there a fit for Akheem Mesidor with the Bears?
Miami EDGE Akheem Mesidor. © Sam Navarro-Imagn ImagesAkheem Mesidor is an Edge Prospect to Watch in the 2026 NFL Draft
Akheem Mesidor is coming off an eye-opening season playing on an impressive Miami Hurricanes defense that went all the way to the college football national championship game.
Mesidor collected 12.5 sacks, 17.5 tackles-for-loss, and forced four fumbles in 15 games played during the 2025 campaign. He finished his college career with 35.5 sacks and 52.5 tackles-for-loss in 65 games. That last number, the 65 games, might stop you in your tracks. And I understand why. Mesidor will be 25 when the 2026 NFL season kicks off, which could be a red flag for some talent evaluators who prefer to target younger players who have taken fewer hits while playing high-level, competitive football. However, that might not be a major concern for Bears General Manager Ryan Poles.
During an appearance on a podcast with long-time NFL Draft guru Todd McShay, Poles gave some insight about how he views older prospects and even mentions Akheem Mesidor by name:
“I think they’re probably closer to their ceiling. The factor is, who’s developing them and what system are they in. But I think of a guy like Mesidor, who’s a little bit on the older end, but you see his two years at West Virginia and a couple of years at Miami. He goes and gets work with Jason Taylor along with (Ruben) Bain and you see this really cool player. And these guys have more refined plans going into the game. So, again, I think they’re closer to the ceiling, so the projection isn’t as great. But you kind of know what you’re going to get a little bit more.”
This is an interesting bit of perspective from the Bears GM. Would Poles risk passing on a younger player with more upside to draft a prospect who is older and has limited potential, but has a higher floor? Is drafting a plug-and-play option as a rookie a priority for this front office? What does Bears Defensive Coordinator Dennis Allen want? These are among the questions that must be asked when discussing this type of prospect at a position of need.
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For what it’s worth, I’m not scared off by an older prospect. If he plays well, then his age will become an afterthought. But if an older prospect has already played his best ball, then that first-round selection will not age well — both literally and in a metaphorical sense. And after watching Velus Jones Jr. flame out as an older prospect, I wonder if that recent bit of history gives this front office second thoughts. It would certainly have me thinking twice. At a minimum, it is something to consider when discussing the merits of drafting Akheem Mesidor.
As of this posting, Chicago’s edge rusher depth chart has Montez Sweat and Austin Booker as projected starters with Daniel Hardy, Jeremiah Martin, and Jonathan Garvin as primary backups. As for Dayo Oodeyingbo, the 2025 free-agent addition is coming off a serious season-ending injury, and I can’t bring myself to expect him to be an impact contributor right now when I can’t forecast his future health. Hence, I’m keeping tabs on edge prospects (like Akheem Mesidor) who could make sense as Bears targets in the NFL Draft.
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