Joe Alt 2024 NFL Draft Profile
Joe Alt is next up for the 2024 NFL Draft Profile series. Yes, we’re talking about the player that Mike Francesa says people should be shot if they pass on this player. Is the juice really worth the squeeze on this one? Let’s talk about it.
I’m not even going to bury the lede for this one. Alt is the top tackle on most boards that you see on the internet. That’s not the case for me. If you read my notes from the Combine, then you know there are several tackles who I think are better than Alt.
Let’s start here first. I don’t think he’s as fail proof of a prospect as Zack Martin was. I also think he’s a touch better than Mike McGlinchey was coming out. Do what you will with that information. McGlinchey might be a better run blocker but Alt is a better overall version of what McGlinchey brought to the table.
The former Notre Dame product checks in at 6-foot-9, 321, with over 34 inch arms. From a size perspective, he’s everything you look for as your franchise left tackle. While it’s a great blessing and he uses it to his advantage more often than not, I just think there are times it actually works against him. He’s not a natural bender and there will be times speed rushers beat him with leverage. Here’s a clip that kinda tells you what I’m talking about.
I just want to temper expectations here a bit. This idea that he’s the tackle version of Marvin Harrison is just wrong. Harrison’s dad is a Hall of Famer. Alt’s father John was a first round pick by the Chiefs and became a two time Pro Bowler, but certainly not a gold jacket guy. Big difference there. Alt does come from a family of athletes though and his brother Mark plays hockey. Former four star guy coming out of high school.
I think the Combine tells a lot of the story here. Former tight end but can he really bend and anchor? I don’t see that. Quick movements there were a ton of stumbles in open space. Just not a good bender and it’s hard to get his feet underneath him. Okay foot speed and can get stuck in the mud. This is the NFL and a game of inches. I will bet against back benders more than on them. His center of gravity is way too high. Being tall is great but let’s not pretend that it hasn’t worked against him at times.
There are some shades of Lane Johnson here in the sense that he’s a converted tight end that happens to be a plus athlete who transitioned seamlessly to tackle. He’s just not nearly as juiced up as that. 40 times have actually been a great indicator for NFL success at the tackle position. Johnson ran a 4.72, 34 inch vertical, 28 reps on the bench with over 35 inch arms while being 20 pounds less than Alt. Compare those numbers and Alt ran a 5.05, 28 inch vertical, and 27 reps on the bench. It’s just not nearly the same thing so I want people to stop pretending that Alt is in that class. There is no evidence to suggest that Alt is nearly that twitched up.
Not saying Joe Alt is a bad player. There are reasons to believe here. Some of his talent is obvious. I just think there are more warts than anyone wants to admit. I have a late first / early second round grade on Alt. Believe he will become a red chip starting caliber tackle but not anything that screams first ballot Hall of Famer like Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden. I’d bet against him being in that tier.
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