Top transfer portal prospect visiting Penn State Friday
Penn State is hosting one of the most notable names in the transfer portal Friday in former West Virginia defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor.
Listed at 6-foot-2, 272 pounds, Mesidor grabbed the attention of college football writers earlier this week when he abruptly decided to leave Morgantown following two excellent seasons for the Mountaineers.
As a freshman in 2020, he totaled 32 tackles and five sacks, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors, as well as Freshman All-America honors from multiple outlets. He followed that up with 38 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 2021. That earned him honorable mention honors in the Big 12.
Related: Rodney Gallagher discusses Penn State & upcoming visits
A Class of 2020 prospect, Mesidor was considered a three-star prospect according to the On3 Consensus. He ended up at No. 530 nationally. Originally from Canada, Mesidor played at Clearwater Academy in Florida. ESPN gave him a four-star rating, while both Rivals and 247sports ranked him as a three-star.
Overall, he earned more than two dozen scholarship offers coming out of high school. Penn State actually hosted him for one of its camps while he was still in Canada. He was part of Gridiron Academy at one point. That’s the same Canadian group that helped produce Christian Veilleux, Jonathan Sutherland and Jesse Luketa.
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“After discussing it with my family, praying on it and following my heart, I have decided to officially enter my name into the Transfer Portal,” Mesidor said in a statement Thursday afternoon. “Despite the recent media conference and public speculation, I have decided to transfer for my overall well-being and in pursuit of a better environment for my development on and off the field. These last 48 hours have been extremely challenging and at times I have felt unsafe on campus. I pray that you can respect my decision and support me in this next chapter. I’m excited for more opportunities to become a better man, teammate and player.”
That statement came after West Virginia head coach Neal Brown discussed his departure in a press conference.
Mesidor has publicly acknowledged that he’s earned an offer from USC. Lincoln Riley and his staff are also expected to host him at some point in the near future. Miami is also believed to be a serious contender.
So far this year, Penn State has landed two players via the transfer portal in offensive lineman Hunter Nourzad and wide receiver Mitchell Tinsley.
