Quarterback hype has dominated most of the NFL Draft’s storylines heading into Thursday, when the top four picks in the first round could end up being QBs.
But quarterbacks are nothing without a sturdy offensive line. And the first player expected to be taken at that position is Notre Dame’s Joe Alt.
Alt, the consensus top offensive tackle in this year’s draft class, has been projected by many to be going to the Tennessee Titans. It makes sense considering its offensive line continues to rebuild and is in need of a left tackle.
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The Titans hold the No. 7 overall pick in the draft, and Alt traveled to Nashville to meet with the team as one of its 30 pre-draft visitors. Speaking with Fox News Digital, Alt came away impressed with the organization.
“For me, it’s always the people I think are most important,” he said while discussing his experience at Selfridge Air National Guard Base outside Detroit, thanks to USAA, the NFL’s official Salute to Service partner.
“I was able to be with both [head] coach Brian Callahan and [offensive line] coach Bill Callahan. Being able to hear what their projections [are] for the team and how they coach and what they’re seeing with the team was really important for me.”
Alt added he’s a “big country music fan,” so Nashville would be a desirable destination.
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“To finally be able to put an image to the songs and things I’ve heard was really special for me and really cool to be a part of,” Alt said of his first visit to Nashville.
The biggest challenge for offensive linemen is handling the speed of NFL pass rushers. There have been some top-ranked tackles who went early in the draft but weren’t able to acclimate to life out on the edge in the NFL. The New York Giants learned that with Ereck Flowers (No. 9, 2013) before he moved on and had more success as a guard. Las Vegas Raiders fans have tried to forget about Robert Gallery going No. 2 overall in 2004.
Alt, while not addressing it directly, showed why he could have an easy time getting comfortable on the Titans’ line due to the coaching he had last season with Fighting Irish offensive line coach Jon Rudolph.
“It was cool for me to hear how coach Rudolph coached me in college and what he believed in and to hear from coach [Bill] Callahan,” Alt said. “He has a similar coaching style, which was really cool for me. I’m fortunate in that regard in what he was saying I would pick up on and understand so easily because that’s how I was coached this past year.”
Alt had a number of coaches during his time at Notre Dame, including two head coaches, multiple offensive coordinators and three different offensive line coaches. Consistency is usually what players want from their coaching staff.
“I was able to learn so much, and I’m so grateful to the people who have put me in this position,” Alt said.
Alt returned home to Minnesota to prepare for the draft because he wanted to be with his family and close friends during the process. Having his support system close was a priority, especially considering time spent at home will be much more scarce when he is eventually selected in the draft.
His father, John Alt, is a coach, so he knows what his son needs to thrive. He’s also someone who’s given the 6-foot-8, 322-pound tackle advice over the years.
“My dad’s been someone who’s told me this, and my offensive line coach told me this a lot, and it’s stay true to yourself and stay true to what you believe in,” Alt said when asked the best piece of advice he’s gotten to help make the transition to the NFL. “As a man, stay true to what you believe in and how you want to hold yourself as, but that correlates to football as well.
“Stay true to what I know works for me, what works in my game and what has gotten me there. That, for me, is hard work and preparation and being grateful for the people around me to help me do and play the game I love. That’s the biggest thing I’ve taken.”
When he’s drafted, Alt knows the team that selects him will be getting someone who will make an impact both on and off the field.
“For me, I always like to start with who I am as a person, and that’s someone who works extremely hard and takes a lot of pride in the game of football,” he said. “It’s something I love, and I love to compete. So, someone who’s going to do whatever it takes to succeed and play at the highest level.
“In pass [protection], I think my unique [ability] is my size and my athletic ability to be able to mirror guys but also keep them away with my length. That’s something I take a lot of pride in and try to work with. In the run game, again, using my length to keep the defender away from my body. Being able to sustain blocks to the second and third level is stuff that teams are getting when they look at me.”
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