Akheem Mesidor was one of the first players Mario Cristobal had to convince of his vision for Miami.

Mesidor was transferring from West Virginia, and he committed to UM in April 2022 — before the Hurricanes played a game under Cristobal.

Four years later, Mesidor has established himself as a leader at Miami. In his final year with the Hurricanes, he is also one of the best defensive ends in the nation.

“I always trusted that coach Cristobal would build the team that we have right now,” Mesidor said on Tuesday, four days before his last regular-season game at Hard Rock Stadium. “Was there doubts our first two years? Yeah. But I love it here. I love the University of Miami. And I’ve always been proud to be a Hurricane.”

Mesidor’s tenure at UM has not always been easy. He had a strong 2

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