Mel Kiper Jr. explains putting Joe Alt No. 15 on big board

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. has Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt slotted in at No. 15 on his latest Big Board of 2024 NFL Draft prospects. But he sought to make clear on a recent episode of ESPN’s “First Draft” podcast that the NFL legacy lineman is realistic a Top 10-esque prospect.

Discussing the matter with ESPN colleague Field Yates, Kiper explained that the delineation between prospects No. 8 through No. 15, give or take a few picks on either end, is splitting hairs to the point of being meaningless. To that end, Kiper said, Alt could’ve been in the Top 10 prospects, but was placed lower because that’s just how the list fell together.

“Basically because No. 8 to No. 15 is a similar grade, so you’re really splitting hairs there. So you would say No. 15, he could be No. 8, could be No. 9, it’s a very similar grade. Basically they almost have the same grade, Field. It’s just when you stack ’em up, it’s basically how I put them in. I could’ve very easily put Alt a little higher. So there’s really, we’re not really on a different page there, even though it may look like it, because the grades are so close and basically they’re the same between No. 8 and No. 15,” Kiper said.

Kiper did have one tackle just ahead of Alt in his prospect rankings, Washington’s Troy Fautanu at No. 14. (Penn State’s Olu Fashanu is Kiper’s clearcut No. 1 tackle.)

He explained that positional versatility and a few aspects that showed up on tape elevated Fautanu above Alt.

“I put Troy Fautanu in there because I love the way he plays, I love the versatility as a left tackle who will be — and don’t write off right tackle for him. I think he could be a right tackle. He’s still developing, he’s still getting better. He loves to play. He is so, to steal a Booger McFarland word, physicality of Troy Fautanu is off the charts, we saw what he did in the Pac-12 Championship Game. So I have him slightly ahead of Alt,” Kiper said.

Though he ranked him No. 15 and has Fautanu ahead of him, Kiper understands that Alt is a potential Top 10 pick, and it just might be a matter of the way the draft board shakes out the night of.

“But as far as tackles go I think he’s going to stack up right there near the top. Again, I watched, I’m a big Notre Dame fan, maybe I watched them too much. I like Joe Alt. His father, what he did in the NFL. So the bloodlines are strong. He’s a good football player. He’s great,” Kiper said.