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LA Chargers NFL draft grades: How did Chargers do in first round?
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- LA Chargers NFL draft grades: How did Chargers do in first round?
The Los Angeles Chargers had just one pick in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and decided to spend that on the defensive side of the ball.
Akheem Mesidor , the edge rusher from Miami , will have the opportunity to learn among a defensive unit led by Khalil Mack . At the age of 25 years old, he could be viewed as a plug-and-play option for the Bolts this season.
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Mesidor finished his college career with 35.5 total sacks, including 12.5 in 2025. He spent two years at West Virginia before transferring to Miami for the last four years of his career.
His 35.5 total sacks tie him for third, along with Central Florida's Bruce Miller (2007-10) and Washington's Hau'oli Kikaha (2010-14), among the NCAA career sack leaders.
Only Louisiana Tech's Jaylon Ferguson (45 sacks, 2015-18) and Ja'Von Rolland-Jones (43.5 sacks, 2014-17) had more.
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
-
New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
-
Arizona Cardinals − RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
-
Tennessee Titans − WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
-
New York Giants − LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
-
Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) − CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
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Washington Commanders − LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
-
New Orleans Saints − WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
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Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) − OL Spencer Fano, Utah
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Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals) − OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
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Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) − S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
-
Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) − OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
-
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) − QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
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Baltimore Ravens − G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
-
Tampa Bay Buccaneers − DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
-
Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) − TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
-
Detroit Lions − OT Blake Miller, Clemson
-
Minnesota Vikings − DL Caleb Banks, Florida
-
Carolina Panthers − OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
-
Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay Packers via Cowboys) − WR Makai Lemon, USC
-
Pittsburgh Steelers − OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
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Los Angeles Chargers − DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
-
Cowboys (from Eagles) − DE Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida
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Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) − WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
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Chicago Bears − S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
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Houston Texans (from Bills) − G Keylan Rutledge
-
Dolphins (from 49ers) − CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
-
New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills) − OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
-
Chiefs (from Rams) − DT Peter Woods, Clemson
-
Jets (from Denver Broncos via Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers) − WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
-
Titans (from Patriots via Buffalo Bills) − DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
-
Seattle Seahawks − RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
1
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
1
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
1. Las Vegas Raiders – QB Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The first round of the 2026 NFL Draft
brings franchise‑defining moments as teams make their selections from the top of the board.
See how picks 1 through 32 came off the clock as the next generation of NFL talent enters the league.
2
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New York Jets – OLB/DE David Bailey, Texas Tech
3
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Arizona Cardinals − RB Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame
4
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Tennessee Titans − WR Carnell Tate, Ohio State
5
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New York Giants − LB Arvell Reese, Ohio State
6
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Kansas City Chiefs (from Browns) − CB Mansoor Delane, LSU
7
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Washington Commanders − LB Sonny Styles, Ohio State
8
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
New Orleans Saints − WR Jordyn Tyson, Arizona State
9
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Cleveland Browns (from Chiefs) − OL Spencer Fano, Utah
10
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Giants (from Cincinnati Bengals) − OL Francis Mauigoa, Miami (Fla.)
11
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Dallas Cowboys (from Dolphins) − S Caleb Downs, Ohio State
12
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Miami Dolphins (from Cowboys) − OT Kadyn Proctor, Alabama
13
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Los Angeles Rams (from Atlanta Falcons) − QB Ty Simpson, Alabama
14
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Baltimore Ravens − G Olaivavega Ioane, Penn State
15
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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Tampa Bay Buccaneers − DE Rueben Bain Jr., Miami (Fla.)
16
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Jets (from Indianapolis Colts) − TE Kenyon Sadiq, Oregon
17
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Detroit Lions − OT Blake Miller, Clemson
18
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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Minnesota Vikings − DL Caleb Banks, Florida
19
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Carolina Panthers − OT Monroe Freeling, Georgia
20
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Philadelphia Eagles (from Green Bay Packers via Cowboys) − WR Makai Lemon, USC
21
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Pittsburgh Steelers − OT Max Iheanachor, Arizona State
22
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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Los Angeles Chargers − DE/OLB Akheem Mesidor, Miami (Fla.)
23
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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Cowboys (from Eagles) − DE Malachi Lawrence, Central Florida
24
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Browns (from Jacksonville Jaguars) − WR KC Concepcion, Texas A&M
25
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Chicago Bears − S Dillon Thieneman, Oregon
26
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Houston Texans (from Bills) − G Keylan Rutledge
27
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Dolphins (from 49ers) − CB Chris Johnson, San Diego State
28
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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New England Patriots (from Texans via Bills) − OT Caleb Lomu, Utah
29
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
-
Chiefs (from Rams) − DT Peter Woods, Clemson
30
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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Jets (from Denver Broncos via Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers) − WR Omar Cooper Jr., Indiana
31
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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Titans (from Patriots via Buffalo Bills) − DE Keldric Faulk, Auburn
32
/32
See 2026 NFL Draft first round picks, from No. 1 to No. 32
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Seattle Seahawks − RB Jadarian Price, Notre Dame
Los Angeles Chargers ' first-round draft grade
22. Los Angeles Chargers: Akheem Mesidor, DE, Miami (Fla.)
Grade: B
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"Looks like a Jim Harbaugh player. Plays like a Jim Harbaugh player. And now, he is a Jim Harbaugh player. The 25-year-old Mesidor touted himself as a 'seasoned rookie' as he prepared to enter the league as an older and more experienced entity than his peers. Harbaugh, however, surely relished the non-stop motor Mesidor deployed to chase down opposing quarterbacks.
"The Bolts' pass rush worked best when it had three legitimate threats to rotate at edge, and Mesidor can round out that group while serving as the long-term successor to Khalil Mack." – Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chargers NFL draft grades for first round pick Akheem Mesidor
