Bolts From The Blue
After Rashawn Slater was named the best Chargers offensive tackle this century, who will join him as OT2?
When I posted the poll for OT1, I actually wasn’t all that confident in who would end up taking the spot. Rashawn Slater ended up winning the poll with 53 percent of the vote, but Marcus McNeill was second with 41. In my head, I wouldn’t have been surprised if McNeill had won simply because of the success the team had during his tenure. Plus, I know how rose-colored glasses work in regards to those years.
Still, Slater is our OT1 of the All Quarter Century Team which means the majority of you believe we are living in the prime of blindside protection this century. That’s pretty cool!
But without further ado, let’s go ahead and find our OT2!
McNeill was a second-round pick for the Chargers out of Auburn back in 2006. He started immediately at left tackle and played a key role in helping LaDainian Tomlinson set the all-time single-season touchdown record. Despite being a lineman, McNeill finished fourth in the AP Rookie of the Year running.
He was a fixture on the blindside for the majority of his tenure with the Chargers before injuries took a toll on him during the 2011 campaign. He would end up retiring after that season.
The Chargers found a gem in Clary as a sixth-round pick out of Kansas State. He ended up going from day three pick to starting 93 games for the Chargers over his seven-year career, missing only nine games total during that span. He started 15 games in 2013, helping the Chargers to the postseason, and a postseason win over the Bengals, in his final season with the team.
Another late-round find by the Chargers, Olivea was drafted in the seventh round after winning a national championship with Ohio State. He started immediately, earning nods in 31 of his first 32 games with the Bolts. In 2004, he was also named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team. He played four solid years for the Chargers before being released in 2008.
