Age is more than just a number to Akheem Mesidor.
The star Canadian pass rusher has heard the narrative that his NFL Draft stock will be negatively affected by an overabundance of birthdays. Set to turn 25 in April, he’s several years older than your average draft pick — a number which was 22 years of age last season.
“You can call me a seasoned rookie,” Mesidor joked at the 2026 NFL Combine in Indianapolis. “Whatever you want to call it, I think I’m coming more mature with a different approach, a different mentality, than a lot of younger guys. I think my age can be a plus, depending on how you look at it.”
That opinion runs contrary to popular scouting wisdom, which argues that older prospects have inflated collegiate production from going against less developed opponents and are less desirable due to a lower developmental ceiling. There is also concern about investing valuable assets into what could be a one-contract player. If Mesidor is taken in the first round, as several noted draft analysts have predicted, he would be 30 years old by the time the option year on his rookie deal expired.
Still, the Ottawa, Ont., native believes he brings different benefits to the table that can only be acquired with time.
“I think it’s the way I approach the game. I see myself as a professional, the way I work, the way I take care of my body, the way I eat, sleep, train — all these different things that make you a really good football player,” Mesidor said. “I do all these things, and I take pride in these things. I love the process. I love the game. Studying all these different things that maybe a young guy hasn’t fully understood yet, but I’m 24, and I’ve fully understood that. I’m going to continue to learn and grow.”
Mesidor may have an obvious bias in extolling the virtues of an older rookie, but others with greater objectivity tend to agree. NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who has the Canadian as the 20th-ranked prospect on his latest Top 50 board, told the media in his annual pre-Combine conference call that there are always exceptions to scouting rules, noting the success of several older prospects in recent years.
“Obviously, the quarterback position is different, but Tyler Shough, Bo Nix, I don’t think there’s any regrets with those teams with those picks. I look at a guy like Craig Woodson last year with the Patriots, who’s a little bit older. Well, he’s plug and play and played great,” the former NFL scout said.
“I think the age thing in years past may be a bigger issue. In this particular draft, we have a lot of 24- and 25-year-olds, and I think teams are going to look beyond that.”
It isn’t as if Mesidor was a late bloomer either. The six-foot-three, 265-pound defensive lineman broke onto the NCAA scene in 2020 at West Virginia University, earning freshman All-American honours from ESPN that year. He transferred to the University of Miami in 2022 and continued his high level of play, but a season-ending knee injury in 2023 caused his draft year to be delayed.
After a productive return to the field in 2024, Mesidor elected to take advantage of the final year of eligibility afforded to him by the COVID-19 pandemic rather than test the NFL waters as a potential mid-round pick. It proved to be a wise decision, as he was integral to the Hurricanes’ improbable run to the CFP National Championship game. The first-team All-ACC selection finished the year with 63 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks, and four forced fumbles, with 5.5 of his sacks coming in Miami’s four playoff games.
“Everybody has their own path. Everybody has their own timeline. Mine just happened to be six years in college,” Mesidor said of the journey. “I was able to continue to learn and grow with these amazing people around me, and help me become the person I am right now.”
In 65 career NCAA games, Mesidor compiled 208 tackles, 52.5 tackles for loss, 35.5 sacks, and five forced fumbles. With the Hurricanes, he was able to learn under the tutelage of defensive ends coach and Pro Football Hall of Famer Jason Taylor, refining a deep bag of pass rush tools.
Growing up in the Canadian national capital, Mesidor admits he didn’t watch a ton of football and had to look Taylor up on YouTube when he transferred just to find out who he was. He now credits the Miami Dolphins legend with shaping his professional approach to the game.
“The way you prepare, the way you take care of your body, everything that helps you achieve your maximum potential on the field — JT was just tremendous to me,” he said. “I’m always in his office, always in the facility. JT has a couch right there, I’m always laying on it. We’re always talking, watching the film. He’s been a tremendous help and like a mentor to me throughout this whole process.”
Mesidor’s toolbox is different than Taylor’s; more predicated on raw power with a motor that allows him to play all along the defensive line. That, coupled with his exceptional performances in primetime, has scouts falling in love despite their ingrained opposition to his age.
“He’s one of my favourite players in the whole draft. He plays outside, he plays inside. It’s just not fair with him against college guards; he just kills them in there. Violent club moves. He’s got knock-back power, he can widen and bowl on the edge, you’ll see push-pull moves,” Jeremiah raved.
“I just wrote this guy never stops. Like, there’s just never a breath you can take when you’re trying to block Akheem Mesidor. He’s an absolute warrior.”
This weekend in Indianapolis will be all about the interviews for Mesidor, as he is not taking part in on-field drills due to the wear and tear of a long playoff run. He’ll save the underwear Olympics for his pro day next month — an event that he and his teammates will make a must-attend for decision-makers across the NFL.
As he inches closer to his pro football goal, he credits fellow Ottawans like Jonathan Sutherland, Patrice Rene, Luiji Vilain, and Jesse Luketa for paving his path south of the border. He hopes to inspire others to follow in his own footsteps.
“I want to do everything I can to put Ottawa on the map, let alone Canada, and help the younger generation achieve their dreams,” Mesidor said.
“Believe in yourself. Believe, no doubt. Growing up in Canada, you always hear about the big, bad Americans. It’s all you ever hear. But honestly, football is football. I was playing football my whole life in Canada, and as soon as I came to the States, in Florida, for my senior year, it was the same thing. I felt no difference. Ball is ball. If you can play, you can play, so always have confidence. Continue to work and don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t come to the States and compete with anybody else.”
The 2026 NFL Draft will run from April 23 to 25 in Pittsburgh, Penn.
