Despite what all of the mock drafts attempted to indicate, the Los Angeles Chargers did not trade out of their No. 5 overall pick. Jim Harbaugh made a very "Jim Harbaugh-like" pick, selecting arguably the top offensive lineman in the class, Joe Alt out of Notre Dame. The Chargers already have a talented left tackle in Rashawn Slater, so it remains to be seen how Harbaugh will adjust his lineup.
Alt was a team captain and an unanimous All-American this past season. He started 33 games over the past three seasons for the Irish. Professional sports are in the blood of the former 4-star recruit out of Minnesota. He is the son of John Alt, who was a first-round pick of the Kansas City Chiefs in 1984. His career ended in the team's Hall of Fame after being selected to the Pro Bowl twice. His brother, Mark, played with multiple NHL teams -- most recently the Los Angeles Kings.
Here's what the Chargers are getting in Alt, including his scouting report, pro comparison, combine results, career accolades and overall NFL outlook.
"He is the best in this class, but now he has to make the transition to right tackle for Jim Harbaugh. That can be tough to do. But taking a lineman makes sense. I just might have taken J.C. Latham as a better fit." -- Pete Prisco
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Joe Alt NFL Draft prospect profile Age: 21 years old Height: 6-foot-9Weight: 321 pounds
Arm length: 34 1/4 inches CBS Sports prospect ranking
Position: No. 2 OT | Overall: No. 7 | Rating: 92.87 (All-Pro)
NFL comparison NFL combine results 40-yard dash: 5.05 seconds Bench press: 27 reps3-cone drill: 7.31 seconds 20-yard shuttle: 4.51 seconds Scouting report
Joe Alt made tremendous strides in his career from 2022 to 2023. He looks like a much more flexible prospect capable of digging out smaller rushers. He can struggle with power players that get under his pad level and does not have ideal shock and power in his initial punch. Alt does a great job of adjusting his hands and feet when engaged.
Accolades
2022-23: 2-time first-team All-American (AP) 2023: Highest overall PFF grade (90.7) by FBS OLStrengths
Does a great job adjusting his hands and feet when engaged A much more fluid player in 2023 than 2022 Does a good job with punch placement Moves well to mirror defenders laterallyWeaknesses
Average job of engaging and
