The Los Angeles Chargers have selected offensive tackle Joe Alt out of Notre Dame with the No. 5 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Joe Alt has been regarded as one of the top offensive lineman prospects for some time now, especially entering this year's draft. At 6-foot-8, 322 pounds, Alt will bring size, strength, and a wealth of experience to the Chargers. His selection as a first-round pick, chosen at No. 5, comes as no surprise.

The former member of the Fighting Irish football team will now join his father, John Alt, who played football in college at Iowa. John was later drafted in the first round of the 1984 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs and became a two-time Pro Bowler, playing 16 seasons. His brother, Mark, is a professional athlete as well, playing hockey in the NHL.

Here is everything you need to know about Joe Alt, the Chargers first-round pick and new offensive lineman.

Joe Alt's pre-college football career

Alt is originally from North Oaks, Minnesota. He attended Totino-Grace High School where he was a two-sport athlete. However, he eventually began to be noticed for his football skills, playing both offensive tackle and tight end.

As a junior, he had playing time at tight end where he recorded 17 receptions for 143 yards, averaging 8.4 yards per carry. As a senior, he was named All-Metro, All-District, Academic All-State, and Mr. Football Finalist.

Joe Alt's college career

Coming out of high school, Alt was a four-star prospect, ranked as the No. 180 player in the class of 2021. He ranked as the No. 20 offensive tackle and No. 2 player in the state of Minnesota, per 247Sports.

Alt committed to Notre Dame in July of 2020 and was never swayed elsewhere. He spent the last three years in South Bend under Brian Kelly for one season and Marcus Freeman the last two.

In total, Alt played in 36 games, accounting for over 2,200 snaps in his collegiate career. He allowed just four sacks, five quarterback hits, and 15 quarterback hurries. He jumped from a Pro Football Focus (PFF) overall grade of 78.8 his freshman season to a 91.4 his sophomore season, finishing with a 90.7 last season, which was the best of all offensive linemen.

In his final season as a junior at Notre Dame, he was named a unanimous first-team All-American, helping the Fighting Irish facilitate an offense that averaged 39.1 points per game.

Joe Alt's NFL Draft fit with the Chargers

The Chargers had the opportunity to make a different decision, bypassing Alt altogether for one of the top receivers. However, they chose to prioritize protecting their franchise quarterback, Justin Herbert. Even if this pick may seem somewhat unexciting, it aligns well with the approach of their new head coach, Jim Harbaugh.

Wherever Harbaugh has coached, a strong offensive line has been fundamental to his team's success. This was evident in his time at Stanford, with the San Francisco 49ers, and even with last year's national championship team, the Michigan Wolverines. This philosophy will now be applied to the Chargers.

The Chargers are likely looking to pair another tackle with Rashawn Slater. Additionally, Trey Pipkins III, who has struggled with consistency, has just two years remaining on his deal. While the Chargers could have opted to acquire a weapon for Herbert, especially with Keenan Allen and Mike Williams no longer on the team, Harbaugh's approach, as pointed out by NFL Network's Brian Baldinger, prioritizes the offensive line: “With Harbaugh coming in, that's going to be an emphasis,” Baldinger said. “Everything starts up front, and it always falls on the offensive line.”