ESPN made a new list to focus on the young talent in the league. Specifically, they set out to rank all 32 teams by the quality of their rostered players under 25. The Chargers came in at #11 on this ranking in particular.
It doesn't come as a surprise. The Chargers have largely drafted well over the last three years and have a decent amount of young talent to show for it. Chargers RT Joe Alt was listed in the category of "blue chip" talents on the Chargers. But he was the lone name of that stature on the list.
One key Chargers defender arguably deserved the "blue chip" ranking, but wasn't listed.
Most of the younger Chargers pass catchers being thought of highly, but not necessarily in the blue chip category, makes sense. Ladd McConkey had a slight down year last season while someone like Oronde Gadsden II is just heading into his second year. Tarheeb Still has been underrated as the article mentions, but isn't necessarily on the periphery of the top 10 cornerbacks. Quentin Johnston, Tre' Harris, and Omarion Hampton were also given respect as future players to watch under 25.
EDGE became an interesting conversation. Tuli Tuipulotu was listed as a member of the young core as he doesn't turn 24 until September. But he failed to make the "blue chip" list along with Alt. After a 75-pressure, 13-sack (sixth in the league) season, that feels like an oversight. The Chargers young EDGE star is also in active negotiations with the team on an extension that could make him very highly paid.
EDGE Akheem Mesidor was also left off the list as a key defender for the team in these rankings. Although Mesidor by definition didn't qualify for the list as he turned 25 back in April. Tuipulotu's exclusion feels much more like a snub in the thought process of this experiment. There's not many EDGE rushers you can find that have three seasons under their belt in the league while at the same time being as young as Tuipulotu is.
This comes after the USC product also didn't receive votes on ESPN's Fowler Top 10 NFL personnel ranking. For whatever reason, the league and media seem lower on the Chargers EDGE rusher as a whole despite his 2025 season. But assuming Tuipulotu plays the way he's expected to this season, it would be a surprise to not see him much more respected on these lists and rankings by this time next year.
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