By: Michael Higgins

School: Notre Dame

Class: Junior

Position: OT

HT: 6’7

WT: 317 lbs

Sideline Prospect Ranking: #5

Background: Joe Alt is originally from North Oaks, Minnesota and attended Totino-Grace High School. Alt comes from a very athletic family. His father, John Alt, was an offensive lineman at the University of Iowa and was a first-round pick by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1984 NFL Draft. John was a two-time Pro-Bowler and is now a member of the Chiefs’ Hall of Fame. Joe’s brother, Mark, played college hockey at Minnesota and is currently part of the Los Angeles Kings’ organization in the NHL. At Totino-Grace, Alt played tight end and defensive end as a junior, where he was moderately effective. It wasn’t until his senior year of high school that he became a dominant force as an offensive tackle, earning All-State honors from multiple outlets. As Alt gained steam in his recruiting later on in his high school career, he began to gain significant interest from schools. He ultimately chose to commit to Notre Dame over Minnesota, Kansas State, and his father’s alma mater, Iowa.

College: As a freshman at Notre Dame, Alt played both at tight end and on the offensive line. He contributed with the ball in his hands as well as by plowing through the first level of any defense. Alt took off as a sophomore, starting every game for Notre Dame at Left Tackle. Notre Dame had one of their best rushing offenses in the 21st century in the 2022 season, largely in part due to Alt. Alt received every award imaginable. He was named a First Team All-American by multiple different outlets and has been widely recognized as one of the most effective blindside blockers in the country.

Strengths: Joe Alt is a generational offensive tackle prospect. He has both the size and the skill to be a left tackle in the NFL. His frame is intimidating for opponents to go against. He uses his size to his advantage too, he is 315 pounds with a tremendous amount of muscle and length. He moves well for his size and can work to the second level of the defense with ease. He is always the first guy off the line moving the edge rusher backward and refuses to let the opponent set the edge. He has strong hands that almost seem to be like cinder blocks. He gets them into the chest of the opponent to push them back. Despite his height, he keeps an advantageous pad level so that he does not get pushed off his anchor. Due to his athleticism and ability to move up the field, he makes the perfect run blocker. He can clear a path in front of the ball carrier without slowing down or getting in the way. He is also a sturdy tackle in pass protection. He is exactly the type of player that a quarterback would want protecting his blindside.

Weaknesses: Alt can get beat off the edge, however. If he doesn’t get the strong hands to hit the opponent’s chest, they can get around him without letting him get set. While he maintains a solid pad level, he tends to not anchor his feet and make a strong foundation, allowing the opponent to knock him back. Conclusion: Joe Alt has everything that will translate to a brick wall at left tackle in the NFL. He has the highest ceiling at the position and can refine his skills to reach an even higher level of play than what we have seen out of him at Notre Dame.

Scheme Fit: Scheme Versatile

Ideal Role: Left Tackle

Best Team Fits: IND, CHI, ATL

Player Comparison: Laremy Tunsil

Player Grade: 92.6