​This week, ESPN kicked off its annual series that ranks the top players at every NFL position, voted on anonymously by scouts, team executives, and coaches from around the league. It’s one of the most anticipated and reliably solid features on the calendar, and with it comes the familiar back-and-forth about who got left off, how people voted, and why certain players were placed where they were. I don’t usually take issue with these rankings, because the consensus tends to reflect the majority view fairly well. Still, there are moments when you glimpse a sharp divergence between how NFL insiders view a player and how fans perceive him from the outside.
This year, I feel compelled to defend a Chargers standout who was egregiously snubbed in ESPN’s latest rankings: edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu. He followed a breakout 2025 season that saw him notch 13.5 sacks (sixth in the NFL) and accumulate 20 tackles for loss (tied for fourth). These numbers aren’t just impressive; they’re a clear signal that Tuipulotu had emerged as a game-changing presence on the edge.
Yet in ESPN’s survey, Tuipulotu wasn’t listed among the top 10 edge rushers. That omission is arguable, but not the most glaring issue. What truly stings is what came after the top 10: the honorable mentions and “received votes” that ESPN published. Three more players were designated as honorable mentions, followed by six additional names, all of which had at least one vote. In total, that’s 19 pass rushers recognized beyond the top tier, and Tuipulotu did not appear anywhere in that extended list.
It’s hard to put a finger on the exact reason for such an exclusion. Tuipulotu’s breakout season spoke loudly: double-digit sacks, a high-impact presence in the trenches, and a knack for disrupting plays in backfields. For a player who demonstrated that level of production and consistency, the omission from the extended list raises questions about the criteria used and the weight given to a single standout season versus a broader track record.
From a broader perspective, this kind of disconnect underscores the ongoing debate about how to value a “breakout year” in relation to a player’s overall body of work. ESPN’s rankings are meant to capture elite performance and potential, yet they sometimes miss the nuance of a rapidly ascending player who has clearly proven himself capable of influencing games at a high level. Tuipulotu’s case illustrates the gap between on-field production and the consensus of those polled by the ESPN panel, highlighting how insider perspectives can diverge from popular sentiment among fans and media alike.
If there were a constructive takeaway, it would be the invitation to reexamine the methodology behind these rankings. A player like Tuipulotu, who cracked the double-digit sack mark and boasted a premier tackle-for-loss total in a breakout year, deserves closer consideration when evaluating edge rushers’ prestige and impact. The discrepancy also serves as a reminder that a single season, even a remarkable one, may not automatically translate into top-tier status in the eyes of those evaluating talent for an annual list.
Ultimately, Tuipulotu’s omission stands as a notable blemish in ESPN’s otherwise reputable series. It fuels discussions about how voters weigh a breakout season against established production, and it prompts fans, analysts, and the Chargers organization to push for more comprehensive, transparent criteria in future iterations. As Tuipulotu continues to build on his impressive early career, the conversation around his place among the league’s elite will undoubtedly intensify, and deservedly so.