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Los Angeles Chargers: Best offensive draft picks of all-time

By Jason Reed

SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 22: Former NFL Player LaDanian Tomlinson has his number retired by the San Diego Chargers during halftime at the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium on November 22, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
SAN DIEGO, CA - NOVEMBER 22: Former NFL Player LaDanian Tomlinson has his number retired by the San Diego Chargers during halftime at the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Qualcomm Stadium on November 22, 2015 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 24: Center Nick Hardwick (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Chargers
KANSAS CITY, MO – NOVEMBER 24: Center Nick Hardwick (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) – Los Angeles Chargers /

Drafting a great, long-term, offensive lineman is a pretty hard task. Thus, we compiled the three-best linemen the Chargers have drafted in their respective positions; tackle, guard and center.

Tackle: Russ Washington

The Chargers selected Russ Washington with the fourth overall pick in the 1968 NFL Draft. Washington primarily played right tackle for the Chargers and put together a great NFL career in the process.

Overall, Washington played 15 seasons in the NFL, playing exactly 200 games for the Chargers. In that span, Washington was elected to five Pro Bowl teams. It is surprising to see that Washington is not in the NFL Hall of Fame as he definitely has the accolades and longevity to make his case.

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Guard: Walt Sweeney

Sweeney also put together a tremendous career for the Chargers, however, was not a lifetime Charger like Russ Washington. Regardless, Sweeney played for the Chargers for 11 years and was a nine-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro player in the process.

This one is a bit tricky, as the Chargers did not actually draft Sweeney in the NFL Draft. Instead, Sweeney was drafted second overall in the 1963 AFL Draft and was also drafted in the eighth round of the 1963 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns. Sweeney went with the Chargers and helped lead the team to the 1963 AFL Championship.

Center: Nick Hardwick

Nick Hardwick definitely has the lowest accolades of the three men as he never earned All-Pro honors and was elected to just one Pro Bowl in his career. In fact, it was Hardwick’s longevity as a Charger that earns him the honors of being the best center the team has ever drafted. That, of course, goes hand-in-hand with the fact that the Chargers simply have not drafted many great centers.

Hardwick played 11 seasons with the Chargers and was the team’s primary starting center for nine of those seasons. The only other center in team history that can match that is Don Macek, who was the Chargers’ primary starter for 11 seasons.

However, Macek was never elected to the Pro Bowl like Hardwick and had a smaller impact on the organization than Hardwick did.

Next: Why the Chargers should trade up in the draft

The Chargers drafted Hardwick in the third-round of the 2004 NFL Draft. He was essential to many successful Charger teams in the mid-2000s and was the anchor for the offensive line that protected Philip Rivers and allowed LaDainian Tomlinson to break records.

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