Chargers News: LA Star Snubbed On Top 10 Edge Rushers List

He was an honorable mention instead.

Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Chargers edge rusher Khalil Mack was snubbed of a spot on the top-10 edge rushers list despite coming off one of the best years of his career. The former Defensive Player of the Year finished the 2023 campaign with a career-high 17 sacks and crossed the career 100-sack mark.

Instead, the top 10 in order featured Myles Garrett, T.J. Watt, Micah Parsons, Nick Bosa, Maxx Crosby, Aidan Hutchinson, Danielle Hunter, Josh Hines-Allen, Trey Hendrickson, and Brian Burns. The rankings were based on the votes by NFL scouts, coaches, and executives, via ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Mack was the first player listed as an honorable mention outside of the top 10. The coaches behind the list believe Mack could still put in a great year in 2024, but he is not viewed in the same lens as he was earlier in his career when he was considered a top-five rusher.

"I believe if he's used properly and he's healthy he can have another year like that," an NFL coordinator said, via Fowler. "He's still incredibly tough to block and is a complete player."

While it feels strange to see Mack listed outside of the NFL's 10 best pass rushers, there are a lot of great pass rushers in the NFL currently. Twenty-two players recorded double-digit sacks in 2023, meaning that plenty of quality rushers would not be able to make the top 10. Additionally, players like Hunter, Hendrickson, and Burns got the recognition on this list that they have deserved after often being overlooked in the past because of stars like Garrett, Watt, Parsons, and Bosa.

There are a couple of other factors that could have hurt Mack's ranking. This was his first season with double-digit sacks since 2018, meaning he hasn't necessarily displayed the consistency of some of the other players. He also is 33 years old, while every other player who made the list is under 30. Even if he is effective past the age of 30, there are often questions surrounding the consistency and possible production for players in that age range at his position, regardless of if fair or not.

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