Few players jumped of the screen quite like Akheem Mesidor did this past season for the Miami Hurricanes. Yes, he got to play opposite Rueben Bain Jr. in Corey Hetherman's revamped system. However, he still had to make plays, and boy, did he... It is why it should come as no surprise that Mesidor is the third of three Miami stars being taken in Daniel Jeremiah's 2026 NFL mock draft 1.0.
In Jeremiah's first mock of the offseason, he has offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa going No. 4 overall to the Tennessee Titans. A handful of picks later, he has Bain going No. 9 to the Kansas City Chiefs. Right smack dab in the middle of the first round, Jeremiah tied Mesidor to the Detroit Lions at No. 17. He cites that he would be a magnificent piece playing opposite of Aidan Hutchinson moving forward.
For whatever reason, not everyone wanted to believe that Mesidor was a first-round talent. While Bain and Mauigoa are among the surest of locks to go top-32 this season, it would be awfully hard for a team like the Lions to pass up on Mesidor's instant productivity. This fit suggests he can be a high-end No. 2 pass rusher on a contending team. Mesidor is not a focal point, but he is a huge asset here.
For every team that falls in love with the idea of upside, Mesidor is going to make them look so stupid.
Akheem Mesidor goes No. 17 overall to Detroit Lions in NFL mock draft
Admittedly, it is hard to top this potential landing spot for Mesidor. He would be going to a team that had been near the top of the football world quite recently. Detroit suffered major coaching attrition last offseason with Ben Johnson taking over the Chicago Bears in-division, and Aaron Glenn doing whatever it is that he does for the flightless New York Jets. It put a lot of pressure on Dan Campbell...
Mesidor should be able to bring that boulder-sized chip on his shoulder to Detroit. He seems like a great fit in Kelvin Sheppard's defensew within the context of Campbell's football culture. Playing opposite of a proven pass-rushing commodity in Hutchinson could bring out the best in Mesidor's game at the next level. This is the type of addition Detroit seriously needs to consider making here.
Overall, it is great to see Mesidor comfortably inside of the top 32, especially in this mock draft. What is important to know is Jeremiah is not merely flinging mud against the wall and seeing what sticks. He has sources, while helps him put together the most accurate mock draft he can put forth at any given time. This just goes to show that NFL talent evaluators believe Mesidor's game should translate.
While he may be closer to his ceiling than most draft prospects, Mesidor feels like instant production.