By Martin Cleary
Three Ottawa university student-athletes experienced a different kind of ‘graduation’ last week.
Akheem Mesidor, Rene Konga and Wes Bailey are familiar with the academic celebration of completing courses and earning degrees, but they also went to university for another reason.
All graduates of the Ottawa-based Gridiron Academy training program operated by Victor Tedondo, they also had football on their minds and their goal was to connect with the National Football League.
Mesidor, Konga and Bailey recently parlayed their top-notch university football careers into taking the first, giant step into playing professional football with an NFL team.
During last week’s NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Mesidor became only the sixth Canadian to be a first-round pick, when the Los Angeles Chargers selected him as its premier pick at No. 22.
Unlike some prospects, the talented University of Miami Hurricanes edge rusher declined the first-round hype in front of tens of thousands of fans and stayed in Ottawa to celebrate the moment with family, friends and football fanatics at a Lansdowne Park restaurant.
Sitting with his head down and phone to his ear, the room fell silent when Mesidor took the call he’d been waiting for. After a moment, he lowered the phone and lifted his head.
Several seconds passed with Mesidor sitting in silence, the crowd’s cheers growing increasingly louder as he placed blue-and-yellow Chargers cap on his head.
The room erupted in celebration as he turned to his mother for a long hug.
“It’s really not about me, it’s about we. The older generation, my current generation, the younger generation — just know that anything is possible,” Mesidor said later to the crowd, which included Beacon Hill-Cyrville City Councillor Tim Tierney, who expressed his deep pride in Mesidor and all the people who supported him from the North Gloucester Giants on up.
“I come from nothing. It doesn’t matter your situation — if you keep working, you’ll go wherever you want to go. Just keep working,” Mesidor told the crowd, while also sharing with Tierney that the Giants “taught me to love football just by competing every single day with everybody in the community.”
While NFL teams didn’t use the draft to select either Konga or Bailey, a pair of University of Louisville defensive linemen via Rutgers University, there was definite interest to recruit them after the formal proceedings.
Konga and Bailey signed undrafted free-agent contracts with the Miami Dolphins and the Los Angeles Rams respectively.
While most NCAA football careers last four years, Mesidor, Konga and Bailey had six-year careers as they each experienced one redshirted year and one COVID season, which added a year to their athletic stays.
At 25, Mesidor feels ready to step into an NFL environment, especially after experiencing a final university season that took him and the Hurricanes to the College Football Playoff national championship at the end of a 16-game season.
After a 6-2 record in the Atlantic Coast Conference, the Hurricanes won three straight playoff games before losing the national final 27-21 to top-ranked Indiana University. During those four post-season games, the six-foot, three-inch, 259-pound Mesidor made his presence known with a total of 12 solo tackles, five assisted tackles, and 5.5 sacks, including a game-high two in the national final.
“I’m very excited. I finally know where I’m going and I can’t wait to get there and move all my stuff out to the West Coast,” Mesidor told Hurricanes writer Christy Cabrera Chirinos. “I’m ready.”
Six years with a high-profile program has helped to make him ready, after preparatory work at the Clearwater Academy, the Royal Imperial Collegiate of Canada in St. Catharines and the North Gloucester Giants.
“I’ve been doubted my whole life,” he added. “None of this is going to come new to me. I’m ready to come in, earn the respect of my teammates and my coaches, and compete.
“The age stuff, any of the negativity that people push into the media about me is all out the window. It does not phase me. I’m here to play.”
A two-time All-ACC honorable mention (2022 and 2024) and a one-time Big-12 honorable mention with West Virginia University, Mesidor was named to the All-ACC first team, All-America second team by the Sporting News, and was a first team Academic All-America selection in 2025. He also was a finalist for the top college football defensive end honour and the Ted Hendricks Award.
During his four years at Miami, Mesidor played in 65 games, started 52, made 208 tackles (123 solo and 85 assisted), 35.5 sacks and five forced fumbles.
Mesidor’s football talents and testing results indicated he could be a good NFL starter within two years.
“Mesidor is an instinctive, high-effort edge rusher with a fluid rush style and deep toolbox,” wrote NFL analyst Lance Zierlein.
After playing five years at Rutgers, Konga transferred to Louisville for his final year of school and eligibility. It was by far his best season. He started all 12 games for the Cardinals as a defensive tackle, made 29 tackles, five tackles for a loss, 1.5 sacks and was selected to the All-ACC second team.
The six-foot, three-inch and 298-pound Konga showed exceptionally well at the Big NFL Pro Day with significant test numbers and was considered a late pick on draft day. ESPN had him going in the sixth round.
A dominant edge rusher at six feet, five inches and 265 pounds, Bailey had the second most sacks for the Cardinals at 6.0 and third most tackles for a loss at 7.0 and 41 total yards last season. He also recorded 17 solo and 22 assisted tackles and five quarterback hurries.
ROCKLAND NATIONALS AIMING FOR SECOND CENTENNIAL CUP
This is the year of the Rockland Nationals. And it could get even better.
Not only will the 1976 Centennial-Cup champion team be inducted into the Ottawa Sport Hall of Fame in May, but also the current Rockland team roared through its Central Canada Hockey League regular and playoff seasons with absolute dominance.
There’s only one hurdle left. Can the Nationals win the 10-team Centennial Cup, which runs May 7-17 in Summerside, P.E.I., after winning their first national title?
After a mid-season 26-game winning streak powered Rockland to an enviable 52-3 regular-season record and the Yzerman Division title, the Nationals were equally powerful in the playoffs, winning 12 of 13 games to capture the Bogart Cup.
The Nationals scored 60 goals and only allowed 28 as they turned back the Smiths Falls Bears 4-0 in the best-of-seven championship series, the Kemptville 73s 4-0 in the semifinals and the Carleton Place Canadians 4-1 in the quarterfinals.
Gabriel LeHouillier was a major contributor to Rockland’s success as he was named the Bogart Cup MVP, after finishing the playoffs with 18 goals, 14 assists for 32 points in 13 games.
The Rockland offence also had meaningful contributions from Mavrick Brunet, eight goals and 23 assists; Alex Kelloway, six goals and 10 assists; and Jeremy Belieau, five goals and 10 assists.
The Nationals, who scored 285 goals in 55 games and only permitted 125, have used seven goalkeepers this season, but relied on a core four – Kayden Newton at 15-1, 2.06 goals-against average and .927 save percentage; Jack Carter at 13-1, 1.77 and .928; Ty Ferguson at 11-0, 2.06 and .915; and Lincoln Molind at 11-1, 3.00 and .897.
Newton was in the Rockland net for the entire playoffs, posting impressive stats – 26 goals against, a 2.00 goals-against average, and a .923 save percentage based on stopping 334 of 360 shots.
CLAIRE GALLAGHER’S 2 TRIES HELPS CANADA TO SILVER MEDAL
Canada ran past the United States 50-14 in the Chicago suburb of Bridgeview, Illinois, to finish second overall for the second straight year during the Pacific Four Series women’s rugby competition.
Ottawa players were prominent on the scoresheet as University of Ottawa grads Claire Gallagher and Aurora Bowie had two and one tries respectively. Pamphinette Buisa of Gatineau and the Ottawa Irish also was on the Canadian roster.
New Zealand defended its title with a 40-5 decision over Australia.
END NOTES
· With their goalie as MVP, the Franco-Cité Faucons downed Pierre-Savard 6-2 in the final of the Franco-Ontario boys’ ‘AAAA’ hockey championships, which was hosted by Louis-Riel in Ottawa from April 21-23.
· Gatineau’s Olivia Gagne lost in the women’s U17 round of 32 at the Canadian junior squash championships in Vancouver. American Alisa Patel outlasted Gagne 11-9, 10-12, 7-11, 11-3, 11-9.
· Segun Makinde of Ottawa has been named to Commonwealth Sport Canada’s para athletics team for the Commonwealth Games July 23 to Aug. 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. He will be the guide for visually-impaired sprinter George Quarcoo of Toronto in the men’s T12 100 metres.
– with files from Dani-Elle Dubé / Councillor Tim Tierney