Mekhi Wingo Bio
Mekhi Wingo is an American professional football defensive tackle for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers and the LSU Tigers. Wingo was selected by the Lions in the sixth round of the 2024 NFL draft and wears jersey number 94.
Born on April 17, 2003, in St. Louis, Missouri, Wingo developed into a productive interior defender through a strong high school program and two major college stops. Listed at 6 feet 0 inches and 288 pounds, he has quickly established himself as a young piece of the Detroit defensive line rotation.
Early Life and Background
Mekhi Wingo grew up in the St. Louis area and attended De Smet Jesuit High School in Creve Coeur, Missouri. He came out of a competitive program known for producing college-level talent, and his play as a senior earned him statewide recognition. During his final high school season, he recorded 54 tackles and five sacks, finishing his prep career as one of the most disruptive defensive linemen in the region.
That senior campaign brought Wingo the Missouri Gatorade Football Player of the Year award, an honor that reflected both his statistical production and his consistency on the field. With his college decision made, he committed to the University of Missouri to play in the Southeastern Conference footprint nearby, beginning a path that would eventually take him to the NFL.
Path to American Football
Wingo’s route to professional football began with his freshman season at Missouri in 2021. Playing as a true freshman, he appeared in 11 games and made three starts while posting 27 tackles, one sack, and an interception that he returned for a touchdown. The production placed him on the SEC All-Freshman Team and confirmed that he was ready for a larger role.
After that debut year, Wingo transferred to Louisiana State University to compete in one of the strongest defensive conferences in college football. The move to LSU paired him with a deeper rotation of NFL-caliber teammates and gave him a national platform to test his skills against elite offensive lines.
Mekhi Wingo Career
Early Career (2021)
Wingo’s college career began at Missouri in 2021, where he earned immediate playing time on the Tigers’ defensive front. His combination of quickness off the snap and strength at the point of attack allowed coaches to use him in multiple techniques along the interior line. By the end of the season, his interception return for a touchdown stood out as a signature freshman moment.
That freshman performance earned him a place on the SEC All-Freshman Team, marking him as one of the top young defenders in the conference. The recognition set the stage for his next step, as Wingo decided to enter the transfer portal and continue his development at LSU, a program with a long tradition of producing NFL defensive linemen.
LSU Tigers Breakthrough (2022-2023)
Wingo arrived at LSU in 2022 and immediately became a starter on the Tigers’ defensive line. He started 12 of 13 games during his sophomore season, finishing the year with 47 tackles and three sacks. His ability to disrupt both the run game and the pass rush made him a centerpiece of the LSU defense.
The 2022 campaign brought Wingo national recognition, as he was named a second-team All-SEC selection and a third-team All-American by the Associated Press. Those honors reflected his consistency and impact against a steady stream of high-level SEC opponents. He had clearly arrived as one of the conference’s top interior defenders.
Wingo’s junior season in 2023 was more challenging, as injuries limited him to eight games and forced him to miss five contests. Even while working through those setbacks, he still produced 25 tackles and 4.5 sacks, showing the kind of playmaking that had marked his earlier years. After the season, he declared for the 2024 NFL draft.
Mekhi Wingo Career Wins
Mekhi Wingo’s resume features a series of individual awards earned during his college career, including Freshman All-SEC honors at Missouri in 2021, a second-team All-SEC selection in 2022, and third-team All-American recognition from the Associated Press in 2022. As a young professional, he has not yet accumulated headline NFL win totals, but his early production suggests more highlights are ahead.
College Highlights
Wingo’s most decorated college moment came during his sophomore season at LSU, when he earned both All-SEC and All-American recognition. That year included his 47-tackle, three-sack stat line and helped establish him as a draft-worthy interior defender. His freshman All-SEC selection at Missouri in 2021 served as the foundation for that breakout.
His most recent college performance came in 2023, when he battled injuries but still managed 4.5 sacks in only eight games played. The decision to declare for the draft after that season marked a natural conclusion to a college career that included 99 total tackles, 8.5 sacks, and an interception return for a touchdown.
Mekhi Wingo Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Wingo grew up in the St. Louis area and attended De Smet Jesuit High School, a program known for its strong football tradition. The supportive environment of his hometown and his high school program helped him develop into a Division I recruit.
Personal Life
Wingo focuses much of his time on his professional football career with the Detroit Lions. He began his NFL journey in 2024 after being selected in the sixth round of that year’s draft.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 NFL season, Mekhi Wingo is in line to take on a larger role with the Detroit Lions as he continues to develop as a defensive tackle. Through the early stages of his professional career, he has already recorded 12 total tackles, showing the kind of production that the Lions envisioned when they drafted him. His combination of leverage, quickness, and power fits the defensive scheme in Detroit.
Wingo’s sophomore NFL campaign is an opportunity to build on the foundation he laid as a rookie. With a full offseason of work and increased familiarity with the Lions’ defensive system, he is expected to compete for a starting role and contribute on early downs. His performance in 2025 will be an important measure of his long-term trajectory as an interior defender.
The outlook for Wingo centers on consistency, health, and continued growth alongside the rest of the Detroit defensive line. If he can stay on the field and continue refining his pass-rush moves, he has the tools to develop into a steady contributor for the Lions. The 2025 season represents a key step in that progression.
