ESPN Stats and Information has ranked all NFL players drafted in the modern draft (1967-2008) based on their performance during their NFL careers -- regardless of how they fared with the team that drafted them. Insider will count down each team's best draft class (seeded 1-32), then conduct a tournament to determine the best class of all time.
For a short explanation of the ranking system, click here, or, for a more detailed rundown of how the system was developed, click here.
It's a tossup when the 1975 Chargers and 1980 Bengals meet -- Vote now!
CHARGERS' BEST CLASS -- 1975
The Chargers have been a very good drafting team, especially early. Ten of their top 12 classes came before 1980, according to ESPN Stats and Information's ranking system.
The 2001 class was good, but the 1975 class ranks the best. San Diego had four of the first 33 picks in the draft, and the Chargers selected three defensive linemen that would form the nucleus of "The Bruise Brothers" and once formed three-fourths of the AFC Pro Bowl defensive line.