EL SEGUNDO, Calif. (AP) — Jim Harbaugh understands the importance of the line of scrimmage, so it wasn’t a surprise that the Los Angeles Chargers used NFL draft capital to bolster their defensive and offensive fronts.
The Chargers had needs on both lines, and they addressed them by selecting Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor at No. 22 in the first round on Thursday and Florida offensive lineman Jake Slaughter with the 63rd pick in the second round on Friday.
“When a need matches the best player available, it really is easy,” general manager Joe Hortiz said.
Mesidor gives the Chargers another disruptive edge defender to help fill the loss of Odafe Oweh, who signed with Washington in free agency after posting 7 1/2 sacks in 12 games for Los Angeles following an in-season trade from Baltimore.
With new defensive coordinator Chris O’Leary carrying over the same system and approach the Chargers used in Harbaugh’s first two seasons under Jesse Minter, who left to become the Ravens' head coach, Mesidor should compliment veteran Khalil Mack and emerging star Tuli Tuipulotu, with all three likely to be on the field in pass-rush situations.
Mesidor had 12 1/2 sacks and 17 1/2 tackles for loss as a sixth-year senior for the Hurricanes, showing a variety of moves and the ability to line up in multiple spots to get to the quarterback. Mesidor is also adept at stopping the run, and his versatility could make him a successor to Mack, who considered retirement before signing a one-year contract in March to return for his 13th NFL season.
“I think I’m adding a really good piece to that D-line,” Mesidor said. “I think I’m a well-rounded player, and I’m just excited to go out there and compete with the boys.”
Slaughter is more of a projection in his fit with the Chargers, who notably described him as a guard despite him never playing a game at the position for the Gators. Slaughter showed good movement as a three-year starting center, a trait that will be emphasized under new coordinator Mike McDaniel as the offense will feature more spread concepts, screen passes and zone runs.
“We’ve had long discussions in the process, do we feel like he can play guard in this scheme, and the answer to that question is absolutely,” Hortiz said.
Although Slaughter will compete to start at left guard, Harbaugh said he would be the backup center and could end up slotting in at any of the three interior spots on the line.
Injuries and ineffective play on the offensive line brought the Chargers’ season to an unsatisfying conclusion, culminating in quarterback Justin Herbert being sacked six times in a 16-3 wild-card playoff loss to the New England Patriots.
In an effort to remedy those issues, the Chargers signed center Tyler Biadasz and right guard Cole Strange in free agency and then drafted Slaughter and Memphis tackle Travis Burke (fourth round).
“It’s incredible that we got Tyler in free agency, and Jake’s been our top center through the entire process, top of our board there with the ability to play guard, in our opinion at least,” Harbaugh said. “That’s something we needed.”
Hortiz cut his teeth with the Ravens, and his Baltimore-like approach to roster-building has yielded several late-round finds. In 2024, defensive backs Tarheeb Still and Cam Hart were fifth-round picks who have found regular playing time, and sixth-round selection Kimani Vidal flashed with three 100-yard rushing performances last season. The 2025 crop yielded tight end Oronde Gadsden II, who had 664 yards receiving and three touchdown catches after being taken in the fifth round, and safety R.J. Mickens, who had two interceptions and made six starts as a sixth-round pick.
“We want to create the most competitive environment we can out there, and it’s more players, the better,” Hortiz said.
Besides Burke, the Chargers made five other selections Saturday on the final day of the draft.
They took Mississippi State wide receiver Brenen Thompson (105th) and Arizona safety Genesis Smith (131st) in the fourth round. They also chose South Carolina defensive lineman Nick Barrett (145th) in the fifth round along with Boston College guard Logan Taylor (202nd) and Oregon guard Alex Harkey (206th) in the sixth.
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