Notre Dame Lineman Joe Alt Used His Tight End Background To His Advantage

Former Notre Dame All-American Joe Alt goes in depth on his transition from high school tight end

What an incredible journey for former Notre Dame All-American offensive tackle Joe Alt. The Minnesota native was a lightly regarded recruit who comes from a football family, with his father John Alt having been a standout offensive lineman for the Kansas City Chiefs. His father is currently in the ring of honor.

Alt, who is one of the most decorated offensive lineman in Notre Dame history, played a majority of the time at tight end while at Totino-Grace. For most players, that can be a really long and difficult transition. For Alt, he made it as seamless as possible.

“I think for me playing tight end was really helpful when it came to my athletic ability to keep my feet quick,” said Alt at the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. “So that was huge when I transitioned to tackle, having that foot speed and that stuff already there. Once I transitioned to left tackle, things moved quickly.”

One of Alt’s biggest areas of attention early on was his hand play. Being able to locate and consistently land a punch or huge, and something he wasn’t overly used to. It was a main focus early on while transitioning to college.

“I think for me, it was about working on my punch by striking out,” Alt explained. “That kind of wasn't as emphasized at tight end as it wasn't really easy to change things. I kind of saw it coming. My body was kind of growing and I knew that was coming.”

As a former tight end, the footwork came very naturally for Alt. It’s something that he didn’t need to worry too much about. That skill set is easily translated.

“I think footwork is very important and then getting you into that position so you can throw your hands and once you get through your hand,” he said. “It’s all about staying in front of guys, staying inside.”

There is a huge debate who is going to be the first offensive tackle selected in the 2024 NFL Draft class. Alt is currently the heavy favorite to be in that spot, but is hoping to solidify things on Sunday during the 2024 NFL Scouting Combine. 

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