Pro Football Focus identified the Chargers’ worst draft pick not named Ryan Leaf.
The Chargers have hit on a handful of players in the NFL draft throughout the years, but they’ve also had several that didn’t pan out the way the team was anticipating.
Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner identified the worst selection by each of the 32 teams since 2006 and for the Bolts, it was former first-round pick edge defenders Larry English.
While English saw significant time as a rookie, his role diminished after that, as injuries started to pile up. He only played 1,219 snaps in five seasons with the Chargers, and he never earned a grade higher than 64.3 for a season.
It’s easy to pinpoint quarterback Ryan Leaf as the franchise’s worst draft pick, but since this activity only dates back to 2006, English is next up on the list.
Former Chargers general manager A.J. Smith used the pick in hopes of bolstering the linebacker corps and potentially getting a successor to Shawne Merriman.
Unfortunately, English never matched the player he was coming out of Northern Illinois.
English at least spent five seasons with the Bolts, primarily contributing on special teams, that’s when he was without an injury. He played 52 out of 80 games and started only nine games.
Had the Chargers weighed their options, six-time Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews, Jr. was still available when they were on the clock.
One may also argue that wide receiver Craig “Buster” Davis was the worst selection since then (2007). During his four years, Davis was sidelined by sore hips, ribs, hamstrings, Achilles’ tendon and a nagging groin injury, which required two procedures.
