Miami Hurricanes DL Akheem Mesidor excited for tomorrow’s scrimmage, ready to “show everybody how much we’ve improved”

Hurricanes DL Akheem Mesidor has plenty of reasons to be optimistic that this year’s Miami front will be as good as any in the ACC. For starters, he is one of the league’s top returners after leading Miami with seven sacks while tying for the team lead with 10.5 TFL (and missed a game due to injury). Now add in DT Leonard Taylor as a player being touted as ready for a breakout season and getting listed as a possible NFL first round pick. There’s also an emerging end in Nyjalik Kelly, who appears ready to take on a starting role unless Jahfari Harvey finds another level to his game.

Plus true freshman Rueben Bain wreaks havoc in the offensive backfield on a regular basis.

And both Bain and Mesidor can also work at tackle in pass rushing situations, with Purdue transfer Branson Deen expected to be the other DT starter next to Taylor.

It’s a solid, deep group up front working in Lance Guidry’s new attacking defense.

“I think we took a huge step compared to last year,” Mesidor said. “And from the beginning of camp to now we took a pretty big step. We’re trying to be as physical as we can up front.”

Mesidor was slowed last year by a foot injury, getting surgery after the final game and missing the spring. He’s fully healthy now, though.

And he’s excited to show he hasn’t lost a step, and perhaps is even better, when the team takes the field in front of fans Saturday for a Canes Fest scrimmage.

“It’s always exciting to go to Hard Rock, have a scrimmage in front of the fans,” Mesidor said. “I’m just excited to get in front of everybody and just compete, show everybody how much we’ve improved.”

The new defense will have a lot of pre- and post-snap movement, and Mesidor says he likes that “because guards and centers are typically slow, have slower feet. They typically struggle with movement. I think it’s a big advantage for us.”

Mesidor says this team is becoming one where everyone holds each other accountable “so we can have the practice that we want.”

Mesidor, of course, arrived at Miami last year as a West Virginia transfer. While there he was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention pick in 2021 (38 tackles, 8 TFL, 4.5 sacks), and he got True Freshman All-America First Team honors in 2020 (10 games, 1 start, 32 tackles, 6.5 TFL, 5 sacks).

Mesidor’s Pro Football Focus grades last year show the kind of impact he made. He had an elite 87.1 percent grade for the season (86.5 run defense, 75.9 tackling, 80.6 pass rush). PFF noted him with 16 QB hurries.

He’s an outstanding talent who should be even more dominant with another year under his belt.

“I’ve been used more on the outside since the beginning of camp, but we’re putting in different installs which has me a little bit more on the inside,” Mesidor said. “But I love playing them equally.”

*Mesidor points to LT Jalen Rivers as a tough guy to go against when he’s lined up at end.

“He’s a big dude, originally a guard,” Mesidor said. “Strong, heavy hands.”

When Mesidor lines up at tackle he says it’s guard Javion Cohen that’s the toughest to beat.

“He’s pretty quick for his size, also really strong,” Mesidor said.

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