Chargers draft Notre Dame OT Joe Alt at No. 5 overall in 2024 NFL Draft

Justin Herbert is receiving some much-needed front-side protection.

The Los Angeles Chargers selected Notre Dame tackle Joe Alt with the fifth overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft Thursday night in Detroit.

Alt has exceptional athleticism in his genes, being the son of former Chiefs Pro Bowl tackle John Alt and sibling of ex-NHL player Mark Alt. Remarkably, Alt principally played as a tight end during high school and only featured in one game as a left tackle before joining Notre Dame. He ultimately assumed the role of the Irish’s starting position in his freshman year.

Despite initial struggles, Alt eventually rose to become one of the top blockers in college football over the last two seasons. He started in 25 games combined in 2022 and 2023, during which he permitted only a single sack – a circumstance that arose when he was inadvertently tripped by a teammate.

Standing at a towering 6-foot-8 5/8 and weighing a hefty 321 pounds, Alt is an enormous individual, endowed with 34-inch arms and 10-inch hands. This gives him an impressive wingspan of 82 3/4 inches. However, unlike most tackles of similar size, Alt exhibits remarkable agility, often spearheading screens and easily accessing the defense’s second level.

In summary, his performance at the NFL Scouting Combine was commendable. He posted respectable results in several areas including the bench press, where he achieved 27 reps, a 9-foot-4 broad jump, a 20-yard shuttle in 4.51 seconds, a three-cone drill in 7.31 seconds, and a 40-yard dash in 5.05 seconds. Additionally, he clocked a 1.73-second 10-yard split. The only area where he fell short was the vertical jump, managing only 28 inches, which was his only below-average result in Indianapolis.

He shines brightest on the field, often appearing to effortlessly subdue pass rushers. A skilled technician, his adept use of hands and feet in unison seldom shows strain when engaging with defenders. Alt is not one to dominate his opponents with brute force, and he occasionally stands too tall in his stance, but thus far, his performance has been exceptionally powerful.

Immediately, the question regarding Alt centers on where he’ll play. Los Angeles already has a stellar left tackle on the roster in Rashawn Slater but spent its top pick on a player who lacks experience on the right side.

Alt has only played left tackle in college. He could be tried at right tackle, the way former ex-Irish OT Mike McGlinchey was after being drafted by the San Francisco 49ers, although McGlinchey had played the right side previously. But more likely, Alt was drafted to be a left tackle — and some scouts believe he could be a 10-year starter at the position.

We’ll wait for Los Angeles’s decision regarding Alt, but following years of seeking temporary solutions or hopeful prospects for the offensive line–which resulted in a shortened 2023 season for Herbert–the Chargers are now allocating their most significant resources to the team responsible for protecting Herbert.