Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor became the first player ever picked 22nd in the NFL Draft, as well as the first Hurricanes alum in the first round by the Chargers franchise on Thursday night. Mesidor joined teammates Francis Mauigoa and Rueben Bain Jr. as first-round picks on Thursday night.
Bain, Mauigoa and Mesidor became the first trio of Miami teammates to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft since 2007. Linebacker Jon Beason, safety Brandon Meriweather and tight end Greg Olsen were first-round picks in the 2007 NFL Draft.
Mesidor is the 10th Miami player drafted by the Chargers in franchise history. Running back Russ Smith, the 40th pick overall in the 1966 AFL Draft was the first Miami player drafted by the Chargers. Smith ran for 915 yards and 10 touchdowns and had 23 receptions for 265 yards in four AFL seasons all with the Chargers.
Safety Rayshawn Jenkins, the 113th overall pick in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, was the most recent player from Miami to be selected by the Chargers. Jenkins played his first four seasons with the Chargers. Jenkins played the next three with the Jacksonville Jaguars and spent one each with the Seattle Seahawks and Cleveland Browns.
Making more history
Mesidor is the second DL drafted by the Chargers. Darren Krein was the 150th pick in the fifth round of the 1994 NFL Draft. Krein spent two years with the Chargers and one in the World League of American Football and was the Indianapolis Colts Strength and Conditioning coach in the 2010s.
ESPN projects Mesidor as the second-team strongside linebacker behind three-time first-team All-Pro and one-time second-team All-Pro Khalil Mack. Moving to SLB would be a significant change for Mesidor, but he would learn from one of the best pass rushers of this generation.
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