Chargers earn elite ranking that will fire up fans and scare the Chiefs

The Los Angeles Chargers definitely experienced some success during Jim Harbaugh's first year at the helm, as they won 11 games and made the playoffs.

While impressive quarterback play from Justin Herbert was a big reason for the Chargers' strong campaign, Los Angeles was mostly led by its stingy defense, a trademark of Harbaugh teams.

But will the Chargers be able to replicate their defensive success in 2025?

Kyle Soppe of Pro Football Network thinks so, as he ranked Los Angeles' defense fourth in the NFL heading into the new season.

"Jim Harbaugh came to town and posted a top-5 finish for a franchise that had been in the bottom 10 in our rankings for three straight seasons," Soppe wrote. "This team may function as an old-school group, but they were the top-scoring defense a season ago. As this coaching staff gains comfort, it’s easy to project them as an elite unit again in 2025."

It should be noted that the Kansas City Chiefs were ranked 14th on the list in spite of consistently boasting a strong defensive unit the past several seasons.

If the Chargers are going to genuinely push the Chiefs in the AFC West, they will definitely need to have an elite defense. It should be noted that Los Angeles does have some question marks on that side of the ball, particularly after losing some notable pieces this offseason.

However, the Chargers also have multiple breakout candidates along their defense, particularly in the form of edge rusher Tuli Tuipulotu and cornerback Tarheeb Still.

If Los Angeles can see considerable growth from its young, talented defenders, it could make Kansas City sweat in the divisional race.