Pro Football Focus’ Mike Renner recently did an exercise where he listed the best players selected at each slot in the first-round, dating back to the 2006 NFL draft.
The Chargers were represented by two players, one current and former.
The two that made the list were safety Derwin James, who was taken No. 17 overall in the 2018 draft. The other was cornerback Antonio Cromartie, who was selected No. 19 overall in the 2006 draft.
Here’s what Renner had to say about James:
James is quite easily the best 17th overall pick of the past 15 years … when healthy. That last part has all too unfortunately been difficult to come by in his three years. He earned an 88.3 overall grade as a rookie and an 82.3 overall grade in 2019 after returning from injury in Week 13 before tearing his ACL and missing all of 2020.
James, the versatile defender, has 139 tackles, three interceptions, 3.5 sacks and 14 passes defensed. The results show that when James is on the field then there’s a greater chance of success, as the team made the playoffs in the year that he was healthy and missed the past two when he was injured.
As for Cromartie, here is what Renner said:
Cromartie was very much an up-and-down player in his career, but his peaks with the Chargers were special. His 2007 season saw him pick off 10 passes and allow a mere 53.5% completion percentage.
Cromartie spent four of his 11 seasons with the Bolts, appearing in 64 games, accumulating 165 tackles, 15 interceptions, 42 passes defended and two fumble recoveries. He made one of his four Pro-Bowl appearance with the Chargers and was also named once as a member of the All-Pro First Team.
