LA Chargers: Ranking all 8 of Tom Telesco’s draft classes

1. The 2016 Chargers draft class

Selections: Joey Bosa, Hunter Henry, Max Tuerk, Joshua Perry, Jatavis Brown, Drew Kaser, Derek Watt, Donavon Clark

The depth on this draft is not as good as the 2017 draft or some of the other drafts in the top half but Telesco made two fantastic selections on back-to-back picks that absolutely deserve recognition.

It is clear why the team was so good in 2018 and should have been good the last two years if they could just learn to finish games. Three of Telesco’s four best drafts were 2016-2018 and has provided the foundation for the current roster.

The reason why this draft ranks number one in my eyes is easily Joey Bosa and Hunter Henry. Bosa is a top-five edge rusher in the NFL and is someone who has legitimate Defensive Player of the Year potential as he enters his prime.

Henry is one of the eight-best tight ends in the league and has finally seemed to overcome his injury demons. He is due for a new contract after this season and absolutely deserves one.

The fact that the Chargers got a top-five player at one premier position and a top-eight player at another premier position in back-to-back picks is fantastic. We all knew it was great at the time and it holds up four years later.

There is some solid depth in the rest of this draft, though. Jatavis Brown was a decent depth linebacker, albeit he has now retired. Derek Watt was a really solid fullback that Telesco let walk away, which was a mistake but does not impact the draft class.

It is top-heavy but it also is the best 1-2 punch that Telesco has and is the only time that he selected two Pro Bowl-caliber players with the first two picks (unless Murray becomes a Pro Bowl-caliber player).