Maybe Chargers Fans Didn’t Love LA’s Draft Pick…But Maxx Crosby Does

Chargers draft pick Akheem Mesidor has a superfan in a guy named Maxx Crosby, of all people.

Maxx Crosby | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor in the first round of the NFL draft, kicking off their trip to the event with some defensive help for new coordinator Chris O’Leary. 

It’s a move that was a little polarizing for Chargers fans, to say the least. 

On the pros side of things, Mesidor is an older prospect who could be around 30 when the Chargers weigh whether to pick up his fifth-year option. That means he’s more pro-ready than most prospects they could have selected, which is good for a win-now team that wants a boost right away. 

On the cons side, Mesidor is an older prospect and he’s had some injuries in his past. It’s fair if some onlookers debate whether he was simply an older prospect feasting against younger competition and how it might translate. 

One guy who might really like the Chargers’ taking Mesidor? 

Maxx Crosby, of course. 

Maxx Crosby big fan of Chargers’ first-round pick 

Akheem Mesidor | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Call this a fun throwback to the pre-draft process media circuit. 

Crosby, a Las Vegas Raiders superstar and AFC West rival of the Chargers, had nothing but good things to say about Mesidor long before he knew where the Miami pass-rusher would end up on draft night. 

During an appearance on The Rush Podcast, Crosby went out of his way to highlight Mesidor, specifically, as his “wild card” of the entire draft class. 

“This is my guy,” Crosby said. “I’m going pure of, not opinion, and all this other s—, I’m going off straight film. Mesidor, just watching some of his tape, his bend is crazy, the way he’s able to get around the edge, the way he’s able to get off the ball, he’s freaky.”

And hey, maybe this woos over a few more Chargers fans who weren’t in love with the pick, even after sleeping on it. 

But there’s little doubt about this: Crosby knows a thing or two about what a good edge-rushing player looks like. If he likes Mesidor, it’s certainly newsworthy and paints things in a good light. 

Sure, Crosby could always end up wrong because so many different things go into whether a prospect succeeds or fails at the NFL level. 

But Crosby liking a prospect who is currently on his way to learn from Khalil Mack for at least one full season? 

Not bad. 

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