Bolts From The Blue
The Chargers had one of the best rookie classes in the NFL this past season. Joe Alt and Ladd McConkey have solidified themselves as building blocks for the future.
CBS Sports’ Chris Trapasso just ranked the 2024 rookie classes after their first year in the NFL and one would assume the Chargers should be pretty high on his list after they hit on a handful of players in Jim Harbaugh’s first season at the helm of the franchise.
You’re correct. They were ranked in the top 10, but was it still too low?
Per Trapasso, the Chargers are his No. 8 rookie class. He considers the group to have three “Year 1 Hits” which include offensive tackle Joe Alt, wide receiver Ladd McConkey, and cornerback Tarheeb Still.
“Alt and McConkey look like future franchise building blocks for the Chargers,” says Trapasso. “I won’t be surprised if All-Pro distinctions are on the horizon for those two. Still felt like an” obscure fifth-round cornerback yet was far from that label with 10 pass breakups and four interceptions.”
So you’re probably asking yourself which teams ended up with a better class than the Chargers, huh? In ascending order, they were the Denver Broncos, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Rams, Philadelphia Eagles, New York Giants, and Washington Commanders.
Some of these teams are rightfully above the Chargers. The Commanders landing Jayden Daniels is enough to give them the No. 1 spot. The Eagles getting both Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell speaks for itself. But then there’s teams like the Broncos and Jaguars that perplex me. The Broncos likely get a huge boost from getting their quarterback in Bo Nix, but the only other players considered a hit was Devaughn Vele. A fine hit, but not someone I’d hold a ton of weight in.
The Jaguars only have one player who was considered a hit and that’s wideout Brian Thomas Jr. Now, that’s a big hit! But I would not consider him alone to be worth more than the Chargers’ trio. I don’t see how that math checks out, especially when his presence didn’t do much for the team’s fortunes as a rookie.
The rest I can be content with, but there’s just some real questionable calls at the top, in my opinion. Am I alone in feeling this way? Do you guys agree or disagree with me? Let me know in the comments below!
