April 12, 2008

2003
1. CB Sammy Davis (1-30)
2. CB Drayton Florence (2-46)
3. S Terence Kiel (2-62)
4. OT Courtney VanBuren (3-80)
5. LB Matt Wilhelm (4-112)
6. P Mike Scifres (5-149)
7. S Hank Milligan (6-188)
8. FB Andrew Pinnock (7-229)

2004
1. QB Eli Manning (traded for Philip Rivers and other draft picks) (1-1)
2. DT Igor Olshansky (2-35)
3. PK Nate Kaeding (3-65)
4. C Nick Hardwick (3-66)
5. LB Shaun Phillips (4-98)
6. DE Dave Ball (5-133)
7. RB Michael Turner (5-154)
8. TE Ryan Krause (6-169)
9. DT Ryan Bingham (7-204)
10. OT-OG Shane Olivea (7-209)
11. OT Carlos Joseph (7-254)

2005
1. LB Shawne Merriman (1-12)
2. DT Luis Castillo (1-28)
3. WR Vincent Jackson (2-61)
4. RB Darren Sproles (4-130)
5. OT Wesley Britt (5-164)
6. OG Wes Sims (6-177)
7. C Scott Mruczkowski (7-242)

2006
1. CB Antonio Cromartie (1-19)
2. OT Marcus McNeill (2-50)
3. QB Charlie Whitehurst (3-81)
4. LB Tim Dobbins (5-151)
5. OT Jeromey Clary (6-187)
6. PK Kurt Smith (6-188)
7. DT Chase Page (7-225)
8. OT Jimmy Martin (7-227)

2007
1. WR Craig Davis (1-30)
2. S Eric Weddle (2-37)
3. LB Anthony Waters (3-96)
4. TE Scott Chandler (4-129)
5. WR-TE Legedu Naanee (5-172)
6. LB Brandon Siler (7-240)

Still on roster during '07 season*: 28
Starters*: 14
Pro Bowlers: 6

The Chargers have been the NFL’s model of success in terms of building a strong, balanced team through the draft. More than half (14 of 27) of their starters were drafted by the club in the past five years (or in Philip Rivers’ case, traded for on the day of the draft), and several, such as Shawne Merriman, Marcus McNeill, Kris Dielman and Antonio Cromartie, look like stars. And let’s not forget Michael Turner, who will be a sought-after free agent in ’08, and undrafted find Antonio Gates.

* — See Three- and five-year draft history for criteria in determining this number.

Related Articles:

Breaking down each team's draft success the past five years
By Hub Arkush, April 12, 2008

Three- and five-year draft history
By PFW staff, April 12, 2008