Notre Dame's Joe Alt goes to Jim Harbaugh's Chargers in first round

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The Los Angeles Chargers selected Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt with the No. 5 pick in Thursday's first round of the NFL Draft.

The son of former Kansas City Chiefs OT John Alt (a first-rounder himself in 1984), Joe Alt began his high school career as a tall quarterback who eventually matriculated to tight end and then to left tackle, as he's added some 90 pounds to his frame since the middle of his high school career.

Now a legit 6-foot-8 and 321 pounds, Alt was a three-year starting left tackle at Notre Dame - finishing up with back-to-back All-American seasons in 2022 and 2023. An outstanding athlete with terrific balance and quickness for his size, Alt checks nearly every box a starting NFL tackle needs as a long and nimble protector with enough power to move people in the run game. He can lunge at times, but his bend at 6-foot-8 is pretty remarkable.

A young 21, Alt is still smoothing out the finer points of his technique at the position but he projects as a first-year starting left tackle and potentially a long-term building block.

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'The Beast' breakdown

Alt ranked No. 5 in Dane Brugler's Top 300 big board. Here's what Brugler had to say about him in his annual NFL Draft guide:

"Although his pass pro anchor isn't always immediate and he gets caught overextending, Alt has the natural ability to achieve proper leverage, frame up rushers with his length and consistently get back to the strength of his body without losing balance. In the run game, he displays terrific movement skills and large, skilled hands to generate movement at the point of attack. Overall, Alt stays light on his feet with the big-man agility, body control and instinctive recovery skills to become a high-level run blocker and above-average pass protector very early in this NFL career."

Coaching intel

What an anonymous coach had to say about Alt in Bruce Feldman's mock draft:

"He's never in a bad position and he's never on the ground. Some of these guys, you can get them moving. This dude always has his pads square and played with low pad level."

Why he's a first-round pick

A three-year starter, two-time All-American and one-time captain at Notre Dame, Alt's family bloodlines (brother, Mark, played in the NHL, sister played college hoops) is filled with athletic talent. He's the most athletic and high-floor OT in this class.

#NotreDame LT Joe Alt was really good last year, but he's been even better so far in 2023. His balance, hand control and recovery are A+ traits.

Really fun watching him get better and better and better. pic.twitter.com/mBX8Pa0Iuq

— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) September 28, 2023

Scott Dochterman grades the pick

Jim Harbaugh built Michigan into a national champion by fortifying its offensive line. Harbaugh now is attempting to do the same with the Chargers by grabbing the overwhelming top offensive lineman in Alt. Harbaugh had plenty of opportunities to trade down but starting his tenure with an elite left tackle was too much to discard.

After beginning his career as a tight end, Alt slid into left tackle midway through his freshman year at Notre Dame and never vacated the position. With 33 consecutive starts beginning his true freshman year, Alt was durable and productive in three seasons. Alt earned All-America honors after his sophomore and junior seasons. He has the requisite arm length (34 ¼ inches) and quickness (1.73 seconds in the 10-yard sprint) coupled with strength and natural ability to play left tackle for a decade-plus. His father was a stalwart left tackle with the Chiefs in the 1980s and 1990s.

Grade: A-

Mike Sando's assessment

Alt is much taller than the prototypical tackle but was a consensus top-10 pick because he moves and bends like he's 6 feet 5.

How he fits

From general manager Joe Hortiz to Harbaugh to offensive coordinator Greg Roman to run game coordinator Andy Bischoff, the Chargers' messaging has been consistent the past two months: They want to build through the trenches, they want to be physical, and they want to run the ball. Alt, the first offensive lineman off the board, aligns with that vision. He is hyper-athletic for his size and should be a weapon for Roman in the running game.

Rookie impact

Alt played exclusively left tackle at Notre Dame, starting 33 games in three college seasons. The Chargers already have a franchise left tackle in Rashawn Slater, so Alt's clearest path to playing time as a rookie should come at right tackle. The upside with Alt is what makes this pick rather interesting. He is already a refined player in pass protection and run blocking, even though he only started playing offensive line once he got to Notre Dame. He was a quarterback and tight end in high school. Alt's understanding of the position and feel for angles are apparent on tape. He has the potential to develop even further with more experience.

Depth-chart impact

The big depth chart question: What does this mean for right tackle Trey Pipkins? Former GM Tom Telesco and former coach Brandon Staley signed Pipkins to a three-year contract extension last offseason. Pipkins had just come off a career season despite playing through a sprained MCL. In 2023, Pipkins regressed. But he is still a functional player at right tackle. At a minimum, the Chargers now have significant competition at right tackle.

They still have a hole at right guard. Jamaree Salyer moved to right guard from tackle last season, and that transition did not go smoothly. Would the Chargers consider trying Pipkins at right guard to compete with Salyer? The Chargers can move on from Pipkins' extension after this season.

They also could have picked …

The obvious answer is LSU receiver Malik Nabers, who went in the next pick to the New York Giants at No. 6. The Chargers have a glaring need at receiver after moving on from Mike Williams (released) and Keenan Allen (traded to Bears) this offseason. Nabers would have provided the type of explosive pass-catcher the Chargers have been missing for years. Instead, Harbaugh and Hortiz prioritized their front. The other possibility was trading out from No. 5 and taking an offensive lineman later in the first round. That did not materialize, and the Chargers came away with what they viewed as the top offensive lineman in the draft.

Fast evaluation

This feels like a statement pick from the new regime. They have been clear about how they want to build the roster, and that starts with controlling the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. With Alt and Slater, the Chargers have potentially set up bookend tackles for Justin Herbert for the foreseeable future. Herbert has been injured the past two seasons. Protecting him is clearly a priority. Who will he be throwing to? That remains to be seen. They had a chance to pair Herbert with Nabers or Washington receiver Rome Odunze, and they passed.

(Photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)