Chargers stay put and make a huge mistake by passing on dynamic WR in favor of Notre Dame OT Joe Alt
It's official: The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Joe Alt with the 5th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Largely thought of as the best offensive tackle in the draft, the Chargers stuck to their guns despite heavy trade rumors, taking the 6'8 phenom who has feet like that of a ballerina. Athletes like Alt […]
It's official: The Los Angeles Chargers drafted Joe Alt with the 5th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
Largely thought of as the best offensive tackle in the draft, the Chargers stuck to their guns despite heavy trade rumors, taking the 6'8 phenom who has feet like that of a ballerina. Athletes like Alt don't grow on trees, as he presents a skillset and evaluation that was always going to be hard to pass on:
Strengths
- Length: Elongated frame even for a tackle at 6-8 and with 34 inch arms
- Footwork: Feet of a skill player. Light on his toes with efficient steps in both pass protection and run blocking
- Instincts: Smart player that can identify stunts and adequately adjust to loopers and penetrators
Evaluation:
An elite athlete with exponential height, Alt will have a tough time escaping the top 5-10 picks in April’s draft for multiple reasons. A ready-made starter that just turned 21, Alt has All-Pro potential between his current skillset and sky high ceiling.
Now, even though Alt is day one starter with an elite upside, the Chargers lost their top three receiving options this offseason following the departure of Keenan Allen, Mike Williams and Gerald Everett.
That leaves star QB Justin Herbert with very little to work with on the perimeter, even if it plays into what the new regime and HC Jim Harbaugh want to do in terms of running the football.
But with star WRs like Malik Nabers and Rome Odunze still on the board, LAC will be hoping that they didn't miss on a dynamic option that would put a lot of butts in seats in Los Angeles.
A three-year starter at Notre Dame, Alt was a mainstay at left tackle in offensive coordinator Gerad Parker’s balanced scheme. The so n of a Pro Bowl offensive lineman, he played quarterback and tight end in high school before transitioning to tackle and becoming an All-American in South Bend. Although his passpro 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 generat e movement at the point of attack. Overall, Alt stayslight on his feet with the big-man agility, body control and instinctive recovery skillsto become a high-level run blocker and above-average pass protectorvery early in this NFL career. He projects as a first-year, scheme-versatile starter with the pedigree to be a cornerstone player for an NFL franchise (he is Jake Matthews in Nate Solder’s body) -Dane Brugler, The Athletic
Final Word
Drafting a generational talent is never a bad idea. But when you have no real options at WR and will have to move said generational talent to a position he's not a natural at (RT) the pick makes you scratch your head.
That being said, should Los Angeles make a rebound and become one of the best running teams in the league, no one will be questioning the pick.
