Do the Chargers have the best defensive line in the NFL?

Do the Los Angeles Chargers have the best defensive line in football? One sports writer believes so.

USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis ranked each teams’ defensive line in a recent article.

Where did the Chargers land? Well, Davis put the Bolts’ group of linemen No. 1 overall. Here’s what he had to say:

“Defensive rookie of the year Joey Bosa finished with 10 ½ sacks in just 12 games. He and newly minted Melvin Ingram, who’s converting from linebacker, could give J.J. Watt and Jadeveon Clowney serious competition as the league’s top end tandem. Ex-Seahawk Brandon Mebane’s reunion with new DC Gus Bradley means he should be more comfortable in the middle. And if a lighter, healthier Corey Liuget rebounds in a scheme players typically love, this could be a special quartet.”

It may come as a surprise to some, but the Chargers are strong up front. They have arguably the best-pass rushing duo in the NFL, with Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram wreaking havoc on each end. They also have one of the best run stuffers in the game in veteran nose tackle Brandon Mebane, who is already familiar with new DC Gus Bradley’s 4-3 scheme (it’s important to have a guy who knows the system and can help his teammates out). Defensive tackle Corey Liuget played well before disappearing last season, so if he bounces back in a big way, this is a top notch group of starters.

Not only that, but the Chargers have solid depth on the defensive line, which makes this group dangerous. Jeremiah Attaochu, a 2014 second-round pick, has a ton of potential to be a pass-rushing threat but just needs to stay healthy. Damion Square and Darius Philon had their fair share of starts last season and handled their own, especially Square, who played in a career-high 11 games (seven starts) and finished the year with 13 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks. Caraun Reid showed off some playmaking ability before getting hurt, while Tenny Palepoi is another solid rotational player who plays his part.

Bradley is definitely watering at the mouth just thinking about what he can do with all these players at his disposal.