The Denver Broncos got to chill out in Round 1 of the 2026 NFL Draft, having traded pick 30 to the Miami Dolphins for Jaylen Waddle in a surprise blockbuster move earlier in the offseason. Adding Waddle to the mix was a giant indicator that the front office didn't believe there was a player as impactful as Waddle can be with that 30th spot.
For the Dolphins, who also acquired a third-round pick from Denver, they said goodbye to an explosive WR1 player who can separate at all three levels of the field. Most importantly, quarterback Bo Nix now has a legitimate top option in the passing game.
And suddenly, the Broncos group of skill players on offense looks borderline elite. It's kind of funny how one player can make this big of a difference, but here we are. Speaking of Nix, the Los Angeles Chargers picked in Round 1, and decided on a 25-year-old pass-rusher from Miami, Akheem Mesidor. This desperate reach was nothing more than the Chargers wanting to do whatever it takes to contain Nix.
Chargers are using first-round picks to try and stop Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix
It's crazy to think that the Broncos are at a point where other teams in the AFC West and the AFC as a whole are playing "catch up" with them. Denver's roster is the best in the conference and might just be the best in the NFL at this point.
Nix has been a huge part of this and has been a catalyst of the success since being drafted. The Broncos are 24-10 in the regular season since taking Nix with the 12th overall pick. And while Nix and the Broncos have struggled against the Chargers, Denver clearly made a leap over Los Angeles this past season.
The Chargers seem stuck in the mud at 11-6, clearly a good team with an inability to be truly great. Nix and the Broncos being an elite squad is also related here. Arguably, Nix's best quality is his ability to avoid sacks. He's taken just 46 sacks in 34 games, which comes out to just 1.35 sacks per game. His sack percentage also went down from 2024 into 2025, going from 4.07 percent down to 3.47 percent.
This is Nix's division now, and to compound this, the Chargers also lost defensive coordinator Jesse Minter to the Baltimore Ravens head coaching job, so the defense is primed to take a step back. As a player, Mesidor has some red flags that could warrant his selection in Round 1 being a reach.
Being 25 years old as a rookie is honestly a bit worrisome - he'll be pushing 30 years old right when a potential second contract starts. Furthermore, Mesidor's length is below-average for an EDGE in the NFL, and Lance Zierlein of NFL. com has him rated as "Will Become Good Starter Within Two Years."
Did the Chargers really take a developmental pass-rusher who just turned 25 years old?
But wait, there's more! Mesidor does have an injury history as well. He tore ligaments in both feet back in 2023 and required surgery. Now I am not trying to bash the player because of his injury concerns - those are brutal things that players have to go through, and the Average Joe like you and I simply wouldn't be able to return as quickly as professional athletes do.
However, all of these things contribute to a player being a first-round prospect or not. What clearly happened here is the Chargers knew they had to come into the first round of the NFL Draft with the goal of trying to prevent Nix from further entrenching the Broncos atop the AFC West.
They overdrafted a pass-rusher who legitimately has to contribute immediately.
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