Ranking The Top Ten San Diego Chargers

If I had to rank the top 10 football players on the San Diego Chargers, the list would look something like this:

Top 10 San Diego Chargers

1. Ladainian Tomlinson – What needs to be said? LT is the best player in the game.
2. Shawne Merriman – Brings much more than pass rush to the table. Always around the ball, Merriman is one of the best defenders in the game.
3. Antonio Gates – Gates lines up everywhere. A matchup nightmare who’s blocking has improved by miles.
4. Antonio Cromartie – Has emerged as an elite cornerback. Leads the NFL in passes defended and interceptions.
5. Shaun Phillips – Out from Merriman’s shadow, Phillips is the definition of a football player. He just ‘gets it’.
6. Luis Castillo – Versatile defensive lineman who has only scratched the surface of his potential.
7. Jamal Williams – Can anybody in the league shut down run games like Jamal Williams can?
8. Kris Dielman – Pro Bowl offensive guard who is still getting better.
9. Chris Chambers – Veteran playmaker who has become a reliable outlet for Philip Rivers. The Chargers best receiver.
10. Nick Hardwick – Leader of the Offensive line who has gotten better every year. Gaining a reputation around the NFL among coaches and defensive linemen.

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FEATURED COMMENT

Antonio Gates is easily one of the best tight ends to have ever played NFL football, but I doubt he would get into the Hall of Fame now if his career were to mysteriously end now. Why? Because, despite eye-popping numbers and video-highlight reels to die for, careers like Gates' are a microcosm of what's wrong with the modern corporate game and inherent problems trying to rate individual players in a team sport.

If Antonio had had a stellar college career as a tight end and retired tomorrow, he might make it in; but as someone who was UNdrafted yet enormously successful, his career makes the prognosticator industry look less than the Grand Pooba's they purport to be. Ditto for Gates' quick ascent to lofty numbers. Naysayers will mention Brees' lack of success with the deep pass, or L.T.'s phenominal success will be used as a "qualifier" against Gates' induction merit as he was "only a part" of a great offensive team. It's ironic, even foolish, but Gates needs to escape the "shadow" of L.T.'s iconic career to solidly define his own. Nowadays Jackson, Sproles, and others are getting more balls thrown to them too. So it will be, by offensive design, probably difficult for Gates to continue on with the pace of his earlier success; and that's assuming he can stay healthy. But whatever accolades may come his way eventually, he has been just fantastic to watch as a Charger.

Personally, I'd even rate him slightly above the great Kellen Winslow here, and Winslow's in the HoF. Winslow's career here also reiterates my earlier point; he was pivotal to the NFL to a large degree because his position was pivotal to the passing attack introduced to the NFL by Don Coryell and his staff. Yet, AMAZINGLY, relatively few folks are clamoring so much for Coryell's overdue induction into the HoF!? Coryell deserves to be there as much as anyone, period! But Don loved football and football players first and foremost, and never did the Corporate or media dance. Truth is, none are so blind as those that refuse to see.

Posted by Anonymous on "Is Antonio Gates Already A Hall Of Fame Player?"