Should Chargers Have Drafted KC Concepcion or Jermod McCoy Instead of Akheem Mesidor?

The Chargers decided to pass on some major names while drafting Akheem Mesidor.

Texas A&M wideout KC Concepcion | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor with the 22nd pick in the first round, but some of the names they passed up in the process are interesting. 

First, Mesidor: He’s a little bit of a controversial prospect, mostly because he’s already 25 years old. That’s older than Tuli Tuipulotu, who has now played three seasons with the Chargers at that edge rusher spot. 

Still, the age means Mesidor should be an instant contributor if all goes well. He’s a complete prospect who dominated younger competition and should be the third pass-rusher in the rotation with Tuipulotu and Khalil Mack. 

But again, it’s always interesting to look at the rest of the draft board and play the what if? game in the aftermath. 

NFL draft board had Chargers passing notable names 

Jermod McCoy | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Mesidor could turn out to be a big win for the Chargers, but he wasn’t necessarily the clubhouse leader in terms of top options. 

After the Chargers called Mesidor’s name, these were some of the intriguing prospects they decided to no thanks in the process:

• WR KC Concepcion
• CB Jermod McCoy
• G Keylan Rutledge

The Chargers have addressed every single spot (even fullback) on the offense for Mike McDaniel so far…except wideout. Brass like Joe Hortiz have remained adamant they aren’t trading Quentin Johnston, but Ladd McConkey, Tre Harris, KeAndre Lambert-Smith and a free agent Keenan Allen are still options, too. 

With a guy like KC Concepcion in their draft range, it was easy to wonder if they might attack the position. They drafted a running back in the same spot last year, after all. Concepcion, who averaged better than 15 yards per catch last year, felt like a nice McDaniel prospect, too. 

Then there’s cornerback, where they could use some long-term depth behind Donte Jackson in a secondary where Derwin James is getting up there in age, too. Jermod McCoy is an injury risk, clearly, but one could argue the value there was still worth exploring. 

Then there’s Keylan Rutledge, who went 26th to Houston. He’s the first, and might not be the last, of a long line of guards we will point at and wonder why the Chargers didn’t go get them. Cole Strange-Trevor Penning is not an encouraging guard duo in front of Justin Herbert going into 2026, but the public opinion seems very different than how the Chargers feel, apparently. 

Hindsight will ultimately judge whether the Chargers got this right, but it’s hard to knock anyone worried about some of the age and past injury red flags around Mesidor while pointing out some of the other names who were still available for the Chargers.

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