Mountaineers Secure Akheem Mesidor
Though Akheem Mesidor hails from Canada originally, Mesidor has played high school football at Clearwater Academy in Florida. He received his first Power 5 offer from Syracuse, which was, according to Mesidor, a special moment in his career. Since then, offers have rolled in for the 6’3″, 255-pound senior. Indeed, he held at least 16 Power 5 offers as of the Sunday before the Early Signing Period. But West Virginia made a lasting impression, and the Mountaineers secure Akkeem Mesidor, who inked his letter of intent to play college football in Morgantown.
Head Coach Neal Brown and staff made ESPN300 4-star recruit Mesidor a high priority from day one. The staff visited him at a camp in Georgia this past summer. They invited him to take an official visit. West Virginia, in fact, secured Mesidor’s first official visit in June. Since then, Mesidor’s offer list has grown, and he took four other visits. However, the West Virginia staff persisted and remained in heavy contact with Mesidor, signaling that he was one of their most important targets for its 2020 class.
That persistence paid off, as the first and early impression Brown and company made on Mesidor secured his commitment. Mesidor had to like what he saw out of Vic Koenning’s defense this season, particularly for the defensive line. Unlike Tony Gibson’s system, Koenning relies heavily on his defensive line. The unit’s numbers took a giant leap forward from 2018 as a result.
Mesidor’s film shows he will be a great fit. Indeed, his highlight reels show a strong lineman who can shed blocks easily. Mesidor looks great in pursuit, and he does not give up on plays. In fact, Mesidor possesses the instincts of a linebacker, as he attacks gaps and pursues the ball well, even when plays unfold on the opposite side of the field. Given Koenning’s preference for contact-seekers, Mesidor is a welcome addition to West Virginia’s 2020 class, which we will recap after the conclusion of the Early Signing Period.
