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Español49ers meet with ‘relentless' defensive line prospect at NFL Scouting Combine originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
INDIANAPOLIS — The 49ers met with University of Miami edge rusher Akheem Mesidor at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine, he told NBC Sports Bay Area on Saturday.
The pass-rush specialist is projected as a late first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which lines up with the 49ers’ current No. 27 selection. Mesidor also confirmed meeting with the Arizona Cardinals and the Los Angeles Rams while at the event.
“All of the meetings went really well,” Mesidor told NBC Sports Bay Area. “It was a great experience.”
The 6-foot-3, 259-pound defensive lineman was born in Ottawa, Ontario, and moved to the United States his senior year to attend Clearwater High School in Florida. Mesidor spent two years at West Virginia before entering the transfer portal, spending the past three seasons at the University of Miami.
“On the field, they are going to get a relentless player,” Mesidor said during his media availability at the combine. “Somebody who has a deep bag in rushing the passer, also on first and second down who can set the edge. I think I’ve proven it all season long, and it doesn’t stop there. I will continue to grow and continue to get better, work on my craft and I want to hit the ground running.”
Mesidor was a standout for the Mountaineers, racking up 70 total tackles — 44 solo, 14.5 for a loss and 9.5 sacks over two seasons. Then, in his first season at Miami, the edge rusher totaled seven sacks and 10.5 tackles for a loss.
A foot injury in 2023 limited the pass rusher to only three games, but in his final collegiate season, Mesidor registered 63 tackles — 38 solo, 17.5 for a loss and a career-high 12.5 sacks.
The 49ers will be looking to add depth and speed to their defensive line after a challenging 2025 NFL season, when they only managed 20 total quarterback sacks — their lowest total in the past five seasons, and the third lowest in franchise history.
Only in 1982 (15.0 sacks) and 1956 (18.0 sacks) did the 49ers’ defense register a lower total than their 2025 performance.
Should Mesidor wind up in San Francisco, it’s clear he hopes to help those numbers improve.