It’s Getting Harder to Ignore Experts, Anonymous Execs on Chargers’ Akheem Mesidor

There's a little criticism and praise around the Chargers' drafting Akheem Mesidor.

Akheem Mesidor | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

It’s hard to poke much of a hole in how the Los Angeles Chargers attacked the NFL draft. 

After a successful trip to free agency, the Chargers hit a variety of needs in the draft while trading around the order. Perhaps most important of all, they wound up addressing Justin Herbert’s offensive line with four of their eight selections. 

Plus, they went to undrafted free agency and paid up big for some college free agents who might turn out to be steals. 

In the aftermath of all that, the Chargers using a first-round pick on edge rusher Akheem Mesidor has almost fallen under the radar. 

That is, until the national side did a little reporting on what they’re hearing about the response to that Chargers pick. 

NFL reporting spotlights value of Chargers’ Akheem Mesidor pick

Akheem Mesidor | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Mesidor was generally viewed as a very good pick by the Chargers. Our deep-dive analysis into the pick spotlighted the many reasons why. 

One of the 50-50 factors around Mesidor’s draft stock, though? The fact he’s already 25 years old. That worked against his draft stock because teams want to build around prospects for a long time, if possible. Mesidor could be around the age of 30 when we talk about fifth-year options. 

But ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported that Mesidor would have been selected “in the 12 to 15 range” if he had been a few years younger. 

And Fowler talked with an anonymous NFC executive who added this: "He's going to be a really good first-contract guy, there's little doubt about that. The question becomes what do you pay him when he's close to 30 and wants a new deal?"

The Chargers aren’t exactly worried about that right now, so it’s not much of a question, though. If Mesidor pans out well enough in five or so years for it to become a question, it’s a mission accomplished on the pick. 

Those same Chargers have no issue, by the way, paying up for an “old” Khalil Mack right now, even if it’s on a year-to-year basis. They didn’t want to play in the deep end of the free-agent market on Odafe Oweh after he broke out upon arrival via trade, but they’re generally pretty good about paying their own. 

The Chargers drafted Mesidor, in part, because of his age. He’s been productive already after the 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss last year. He’s grown physically and should have an easier time adapting to the pro level, which for a win-now team, means getting him out there right away in a rotation with Mack and Tuli Tuipulotu. 

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