Why Joe Alt is the second most valuable Notre Dame player in 2023

BlueandGold.com’s countdown of the 25 most important Notre Dame players in 2023 has reached its inevitable final two. Both players were unanimously voted into their respective places. Dr. Stephen Strange put it best: “There was no other way.”

Junior offensive tackle Joe Alt, who many believe is the best in the country at his position, is No. 2.

Why Alt is No. 2

The Associated Press, Pro Football Focus, CBS Sports, Action Network and ESPN named Alt a first-team All-American. Six more had him on the second team. Alt frequently appears near the top of way-too-early 2024 NFL mock drafts, alongside Penn State tackle Olu Fashanu and Alabama tackle J.C. Latham.

Among tackles with 30 or more snaps (yes, 30 is the only sample size qualification necessary), Alt earned the highest overall PFF grade in college football at 91.4 and the highest run blocking grade at 91.0 in 2022. Mess with the sample size a little more, and his pass blocking grade of 81.7 gets him into the top 25 out of 230 qualified players.

Using the same sample size, Alt tied for fifth in pass-blocking efficiency at 99.0. He only allowed eight pressures and zero sacks. Every feasible stat indicates that the junior from North Oaks (Minn.) Totino-Grace is an upper-echelon tackle.

The film agrees with the numbers. Analysts and evaluators see an effective blocker with elite flexibility, awareness and movement skills, especially for his nearly 6-foot-8, 322-pound frame.

Many point to Alt shutting down Clemson edge rushers Myles Murphy and KJ Henry — both 2023 draft picks, with Murphy going in the late first round — in a 35-14 upset Notre Dame win as his signature performance. PFF thought his best game was a Week 3 Irish win over California.

Alt is Notre Dame’s best and most proven player, he plays one of the four most valuable positions on the team (you can put offensive tackle, No. 1 receiver and No. 1 corner in any order) and his backups are unproven at best. He was the clear choice for No. 2.

What a successful season would look like for Alt

A repeat of 2022 would be just fine, as far as Notre Dame is concerned. Humble and unselfish as anyone, teammate Blake Fisher playing well enough opposite Alt to vault him into the first round would mean the world to him.

As far as Alt’s own draft status goes, presuming he, Fashanu and Latham stay the course, who gets picked first might boil down to each team’s personal preference. Regardless, Alt will hear his name called on Day 1 if all goes according to plan.

Behind the Notre Dame player ranking

The top 25 was determined in the same manner as the Associated Press Top 25. Five BlueandGold.com staff members submitted their ballots, and each position on the ballot was given a point value. The top ranking was worth 25 points, No. 2 was worth 24, No. 3 worth 23 and so on down until No. 25, which was worth one point. The players with the 25 highest point totals made the list.

Talent and the projected depth chart were key foundations for the poll, but voters placed a premium on these questions: 1) If you subtracted this individual from the roster, how much of a setback would it be? 2) If this less proven player emerges and makes an impact, how much does that raise the ceiling (or lower it, if a breakout does not happen as expected)?

Individual rankings

Stephen Downey: No. 2Tyler Horka: No. 2Jack Soble: No. 2Todd Burlage: No. 2Kyle Kelly: No. 2

BlueandGold.com’s Notre Dame top 25 so far

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