April is finally here, Chicago Bears fans, which means the 2026 NFL Draft will soon be upon us. And while we all know the overwhelming likelihood that the Bears will take a defensive player with their first pick in this year’s draft—wherever that happens—the options for who and what position remain pretty fluid at this point.
Most mock drafts have generally focused on a familiar set of names—guys like Ohio State’s Kayden McDonald, Clemson’s T.J. Parker or Peter Woods, or a safety like Toledo’s Emmanuel
McNeil-Warren or Oregon’s Dillon Theineman.
But The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman suggested the Bears might have interest in a good, yet somewhat surprising player at No. 25 overall—one who played alongside arguably the best defensive player in this year’s draft—in his latest mock based on his around-the-league intel.
That would be Miami edge defender Akheem Mesidor, who starred alongside Rueben Bain on this year’s National Championship runner-up in the 2025-26 season.
“If McNeil-Warren were still on the board, Chicago would’ve loved to scoop up the big safety, but Mesidor fills a big need too,“ Feldman wrote. “The Ottawa native, who began his college career at West Virginia, was the other edge guy on a Miami D-line that gave QBs nightmares. Mesidor had 17.5 TFLs, 12.5 sacks and four forced fumbles in 2025. Like his teammate Rueben Bain, the 6-3, 265-pound Mesidor was at his best in Miami’s Playoff run, notching 5.5 sacks.”
“‘Because Bain’s such a beast, people tend to overlook what a monster this guy is,’ said an ACC head coach via Feldman’s article. ‘He’s really violent with his hands and can really bend too. And he’s got a really good motor. He won’t stay blocked, and he just keeps coming.’”
If you’re looking for a guy who can get after the passer, Mesidor might be a better option than most of the guys you’ll find at the back end of the first round. Though he doesn’t have much testing data to draw from, his film shows an athletic, high-effort player who generates consistent pressure and competes against the run, even if he doesn’t dominate.
There are a few downsides to note, though.
For one, Mesidor will turn 25 this Sunday. While taking an “old” prospect at No. 25 overall isn’t as egregious as doing so in the top 10, especially for a veteran defensive coordinator and a win-now team, it still feels rich here. Plus, he’s struggled with foot injuries, including surgery to repair torn ligaments in 2023, which makes projecting his health going forward tricky (though he showed few ill effects last year).
Also, Mesidor doesn’t quite have the physical dimensions of a typical Dennis Allen defensive end, at 6-3, 265 pounds. If he’s going to be an every-down player in this defense, he’d likely need to get bigger to play more effectively in this scheme. Otherwise, you might have a slightly less athletic version of Montez Sweat playing opposite the real one, which doesn’t quite complement Sweat the way the Bears may like to.
In a vacuum, taking a player with Mesidor’s production and tape makes sense. For a team looking to build sustainably through the draft, this doesn’t feel like the play for the Bears. But if this team wants a guy who’s proven he won’t need much ramp-up time and could be good right away in a Super Bowl window? You could do worse.
