Akheem Mesidor, The No. 15 Pick And Development
March 25th, 2026
Miami edge Akheem Mesidor.
Look, Joe doesn’t think anyone in the Tampa Bay area has been harping longer or louder than Joe how the Bucs need an edge rush in the worst way.
But at No. 15?
In less than a month, the 2026 NFL Draft will be here. And Joe is trying his best to limit references to schlock drafts because they trigger Joe so.
(You want to talk about “clickbait,” the only reason folks do more schlock drafts than change their socks is because people click. If folks wanted to use these things sensibly, have just one mock draft per spring, just like the best mockers did like Joel Buchsbaum and Mike Mayock. Stick to your guns! If you have to change your schlock drafts weekly, that tells Joe you are not confident in your research or sources and you have faulty intel and are trying to cover your arse.)
Over at BSPN, Field Yates has his 30th of 85 schlock drafts and in this one, he has the Bucs drafting edge rusher Akheem Mesidor out of Miami.
Akheem Mesidor, Edge, Miami
An improved pass rush is a must for Tampa Bay after it tied for 18th in total sacks last season (37) and lost defensive end Logan Hall in free agency. The relentless Mesidor would help achieve that goal, coming off a College Football Playoff run where he had 5.5 sacks in four games.
Mesidor was primarily a defensive tackle at West Virginia before reshaping his body and skill set to play largely from the edge at Miami. He has an impressive get-off and nuance as a rusher. While he turns 25 before the draft, most view him as a top-15 player off ability alone.
Yes, Joe knows Mesidor had excellent coaching at Miami as Hall of Fame edge rusher Jason Taylor was the Hurricanes’ defensive end coach for years.
But guess what? Chris Braswell had an excellent defensive coach in college, too, perhaps the greatest defensive mind in all of football, Nick Saban.
Armed with this superior schooling at Alabama, how’d Braswell turn out in Tampa? Saban said Braswell would be fine if he just rushed the quarterback. Whoops.
“This Joe” might just cry if the Bucs burn a No. 15 pick on an edge rusher. Does anyone really believe he will be developed in the Todd Bowles defense?
Hey, if you want to draft any other position at No. 15 and then, in the second round, draft an edge rusher, good. Yeah, the same development questions still linger, but at least you are not lighting a No. 15 pick on fire.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:20 am
That, and he’s 25 yrs. old. I really think trading back might be the best bet unless a couple of good players slip through the cracks.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:21 am
I like Messidor, and Keonte Scott who can play slot CB outside. Both are play makers.
Love me some Sadiq too. Imagine 12 personnel with Sadiq. Good 12 personnel is a nightmate for d coordinators.
No Howell, Allen or Faulk at 15.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:25 am
“While he turns 25 before the draft, most view him as a top-15 player off ability alone.”
So are the 2 surgically repaired feet he’s standing on, which some say are going to cause him to fall in comparison to his peers at the same position.
Won’t fully knock him because of the age or the injury history, BUT I doubt that’s something any scouting department wouldn’t have noted in his evaluation
March 25th, 2026 at 10:25 am
Trade back hard to draft a 25 yr old rusher who is perhaps the 4th best rusher in the draft
March 25th, 2026 at 10:25 am
Not trusting a high round draft pick on edge rusher with todd having him pass cover 50% of the time. We’ll get our star edge with our first next draft…probably a top 7 pick. Sorry todd, cant trust you. Thats why I want beef in the middle to protect Baker….IOANE
March 25th, 2026 at 10:32 am
Mesidor is a stud. 25 yes but he doesn’t need any development, he’ll step in day 1 as an impactful edge. Everyone wants that possible 20 sack guy, but a 10 sack guy with high pressure rates and great run defence and versatility is something I’d certainly take at 15.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:37 am
Braswell was a 4th round pick for a reason. You make it sound like we burned a top 10 pick on a kid who’s never played a snap in the NFL. And Saban coaches the DB’s. That’s been his specialty going back to the 1980’s with the Giants, the Browns, Michigan State, LSU, Alabama. He’s always put his focus on defensive backs. The Bucs front office cant scout DE talent to save their lives, going all the way back to the Adrian Clayborn pick. Let alone getting a DE to flourish in this scheme with this staff.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:38 am
Jermod McCoy is my dream pick dude would’ve been a top 5 pick if he played this season he is a stud at our biggest weakness, all the edge talk is ridiculous, Todd’s scheme is why our defense sucks, we had superstar talent on offense and defense during the Brady years, Brady’s offense stayed on the field and scored that’s why Bowles defense looked better than it was scheme wise, the opposing offenses were one dimensional and Shaq, Suh, Vea, n JPP could tee off, only year I’ve ever rooted for a 3 win season because that’s the only way to move on from Bowzo
March 25th, 2026 at 10:42 am
I get it Joe but saying we have no edge rush – then questioning drafting one with our first pick is confusing.
We have to take our short. I’d prefer a DT at #15 if there is a great one, then DE in round 2, but I’ll be pleased if we take a shot at an Edge at 15.
This draft must be heavily defense focused.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:45 am
I’d prefer trade for a tackle
March 25th, 2026 at 10:46 am
Mesidor is a no brainer.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:50 am
Chris Braswell was a second round pick.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:51 am
I agree with you on the mock drafts, Joe. I remember when I did on a year, just for the Bucs picks, and posted it here annually.
I learned it was a waste of time. Sure, I got some right (such as Ali Marpet, for example), but the draft is just too unpredictable.
I wouldn’t mind doing a wish list though.
I firmly believe these mock drafts are designed to hit every possible choice so that they can say, “I predicted this one in my 7th mock, this one in my third…etc”
March 25th, 2026 at 10:52 am
Chris Braswell was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2nd round, 57th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft.
March 25th, 2026 at 10:54 am
Cometowin2 Says:
“Chris Braswell was a second round pick.”
He hasn’t been great. This is the year he needs to step things up. Right now, he’s depth.
Though, I will say, last year was an odd year…anything that could go wrong did go wrong. The fates were against us.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:08 am
Buccaneer Bonzai Says:
March 25th, 2026 at 10:54 am
Though, I will say, last year was an odd year…anything that could go wrong did go wrong. The fates were against us.
^^^^^^^^^
Could having a Charmin soft HC/DC, soft defense, and soft practices have anything to do with their “fate”?
March 25th, 2026 at 11:19 am
Agree with Joe. This team is good at drafting and developing O linemen, Def backs, Wide Receivers and absolutely terrible in drafting and developing O lineman.
Why waste another pick? Go LB or CB and try to finds D line help in rounds 3-5.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:21 am
For Bowles and the Bucs, that may be a positive, not a detractor.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:28 am
It’s been said many times, this coaching and scheme makes the players irrelevant. It’s a plug and play. Any/all will perform the same, showing regression and utter lack of passion. Licht could draft a Chinese Panda and it would perform the same as any touted first round prospect.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:31 am
Joe could not agree more on wasting a pick on an edge rusher at 15. They have an incredibly bad history at that. However in that they did not add more than a 31 yr old rotational player it appears that is exactly what they are going to do. I don’t know what is worse drafting an edge player at 15 or thinking they are set and not drafting one at all. Either way it does not look good. Then take a look at our starting cornerbacks and the bells are ringing. Maybe Ira is right draft the TE if available and try to score 40 points a game. Currently that may be the plan, who knows, but building a great defense any time soon does not appear to be in the plan. Sorry hard to be a fan right now!!!. It really is
March 25th, 2026 at 11:33 am
With Jason Taylor’s help, Mesidor is more NFL-ready than most edges. The foot injuries and short arms are a concern. I would be happy with Edge (including a ‘healthy’ Mesidor) or DT at #15. Or, trade down a couple spots. Definitely no ILB until rd2. I don’t mind going edge at 15 because I think the head coach will be gone after this season.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:34 am
Who was the coach when the Bucs drafted Lavonte David? Mike Evans? Warren Sapp? John Lynch?
In all those cases: not the coach who turned them into Hall of Famers.
We need edge rushers for the next decade, not just 2026. If we’re able to get a highly productive great one at 15, we absolutely should.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:37 am
The age here IMHO is immaterial should Mesidor actually bring the juice and turn out to be effective pass rusher/defender. That said, taking a swing at 4th ranked (at best) edge vs ensuring OL stays intact (Baker upright + open holes for Bucky) with either top Guard prospect Ioane or top 2 Fano [anywhere on entire offensive line..seriously Fano can play everywhere] would be smartest move. Polynesian Power to OL like VV does for DL. Sadiq terrific consolation price if both gone. Defense is one player away. Offense is the way for #15 assuming Bain/Bailey/Styles do not unexpectedly drop.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:38 am
With rare exceptions, Danielle Hunter being the most obvious, one, production in college equals production at the NFL level. Particularly with edge rushers. This guy has been productive at a high level. And he’s obviously a more mature player at this point. Braswell wasn’t highly productive at Alabama. Nor was tryon shoyinka. Nor was Logan Hall. Patterns develop. This guy at least has pedigree and production.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:41 am
Production is the reason I’m excited about Walker and the possibilities with him. Highly productive even at a lower level. Average nearly 10 sacks. Every season he played. This guy had similar numbers. If you don’t do it in college, how do you expect them to do it in the NFL?
March 25th, 2026 at 11:42 am
Get the best talent you can cuz its really not for bowles who doesn’t care to develop a pass rusher to rush the passer it’s for who comes in after Todd.
March 25th, 2026 at 11:47 am
As a huge Miami Hurricanes fan, I watch of lot of Canes football. Mesidor is not a developmental pick. When healthy, he has been very productive every year he has played, which included his two years at West Virginia. With all the playing time he has received in his six years playing college ball, I would imagine he would be a significant contributor in his first season, which is a BIG need for the Bucs. I would prefer Bain, but Mesidor is no slouch.