Akheem Mesidor's long road to the NFL

Akheem Mesidor rose from difficult early circumstances in Ottawa and several college setbacks to lead Miami with 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks in his final season, boosting his NFL draft profile.

Akheem Mesidor is preparing for the NFL draft after a final season at the University of Miami that significantly raised his profile. His path began in Ottawa, where early hardships and dedicated local coaching shaped his development. He played at West Virginia before transferring to Miami and worked with coaches there to return to defensive end. Mesidor also dealt with multiple foot injuries that required surgery and later changed his conditioning, including extensive swimming, to reshape his body for his last college season. Key facts: - As a youth in Ottawa, Mesidor often trained with a local program and at one point walked more than two miles in a snowstorm to attend practice. - He moved to play his senior high school season in Florida, accepted a scholarship to West Virginia, and later transferred to the University of Miami. - Mesidor took to swimming in offseason work, completing about one mile (60 laps) regularly, lost 20 pounds to reach 265, and changed his conditioning to return to defensive end. - In his final season at Miami he led the team with 17.5 tackles for loss and 12.5 sacks and was a key part of the team reaching the College Football Playoff. - He missed time after tearing ligaments in both feet and undergoing surgery, and he played through other injuries earlier in his college career. - Mesidor took 801 of 1,003 defensive snaps this season and recorded 5.5 sacks and 17 tackles across four playoff games. Summary: Mesidor's season-long work on technique, conditioning and recovery produced measurable on-field results and increased attention ahead of the draft. An ESPN mock listed him as a possible first-round pick while noting questions about his age and injury history, and the NFL draft is the next major milestone for his career.