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Notre Dame in the NFL: Joe Alt becoming one of league's best OTs

IMG_7504by:Jack Soble•09/18/24•

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A rookie led the NFL in Pro Football Focus offense grade by an offensive tackle this week: Former Notre Dame and current Los Angeles Chargers right tackle Joe Alt.

Alt finished the Chargers’ 26-3 Week 2 win over the Carolina Panthers with an 87.2 PFF grade; he was credited with allowing a sack, but nothing else. The second-highest graded OT in Week 2 was Alt’s teammate, Rashawn Slater (82.7), giving the Chargers the pair of bookends head coach Jim Harbaugh dreamed of when he drafted Alt at No. 5 overall in April’s NFL Draft.

Alt also had a strong Week 1, blanking Las Vegas Raiders star defensive end Maxx Crosby when they matched up against each other. He’s earning himself a nickname, too: Control Alt Delete, after the keyboard command.

Alt is quickly becoming one of the top offensive tackles in professional football, just two weeks in his career.

Here’s how every other former Notre Dame athlete did in the NFL this week.

Brandon Aubrey (2013-16), K, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 44-19 loss to Saints

Aubrey made all four of his field-goal attempts, including one from 52 yards out.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), OL, San Francisco 49ers

Result: 23-17 loss to Vikings

Banks allowed 2 pressures, including a sack, but he posted an above-average 66.9 PFF offense grade.

JD Bertrand (2019-23), LB, Atlanta Falcons

Result: 22-21 win over Eagles

Bertrand played 18 snaps on special teams.

Scott Daly (2012-16), LS, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-13 loss to Texans

Daly snapped 9 times successfully, 6 on punts and 3 on field goals.

Liam Eichenberg (2016-20), OL, Miami Dolphins

Result: 31-10 loss to Bills

Eichenberg allowed 1 quarterback pressure but finished with a 77.3 PFF run-blocking grade.

Jalen Elliott (2016-19), S, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: 13-6 win over Broncos

Elliott was a healthy scratch.

Blake Fisher (2021-23), OT, Houston Texans

Result: 19-13 win over Bears

Fisher, the second-highest 2024 Notre Dame draft pick after Alt played 5 snaps on the field-goal unit.

Isaiah Foskey (2019-22), DE, New Orleans Saints

Result: 44-19 win over Cowboys

Foskey played only 3 defensive snaps, but he was credited with 2 tackles.

Alohi Gilman (2017-19), S, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 26-3 win over Panthers

Happy birthday to Gilman, who turns 27 on Wednesday. However, he missed Week 2 with a knee injury.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints

Result: 44-19 win over Cowboys

Grupe made his only field-goal attempt and went 5-of-6 on extra points.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), OL, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: 20-16 win over Lions

Hainsey played 4 snaps on the field-goal unit.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-2021), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 26-23 loss to Raiders

Hamilton made 6 tackles, including 3 defensive stops (tackles that result in a failure for the offense). He allowed 7 receptions on 7 targets in coverage… for only 26 yards (3.7 yards per attempt).

Thomas Harper (2023), DB, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: 26-23 win over Ravens

Harper was a healthy scratch.

Cam Hart (2019-2023), CB, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: 26-3 win over Panthers

Hart played 4 defensive snaps, making a tackle for a 1-yard gain.

Sam Hartman (2023), QB, Washington Commanders

Result: 21-18 win over Giants

Hartman was a healthy scratch (emergency third QB designation)

J.J. Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: 26-3 loss to Chargers

Jansen snapped 8 times successfully, 7 on punts and 1 on a field goal.

Javontae Jean-Baptiste (2023), DE, Washington Commanders

Result: 21-18 win over Giants

Jean-Baptiste made 1 tackle, which was a defensive stop.

Brandon Joseph (2022), S, Detroit Lions

Result: 20-16 loss to Buccaneers

Joseph played 10 snaps on special teams.

Cole Kmet (2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: 19-13 loss to Texans

Kmet caught 4 passes for 27 yards.

Marist Liufau (2019-23), LB, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 44-19 loss to Saints

Liufau made his first career start, totaling 3 tackles, all of which were defensive stops.

Julian Love (2016-18), DB, Seattle Seahawks

Result: 23-20 OT win over Patriots

Love made 7 tackles and broke up a pass.

Zack Martin (2009-13), OL, Dallas Cowboys

Result: 44-19 loss to Saints

Martin, the future Hall of Famer out of Notre Dame, allowed 2 pressures but posted a 74.9 PFF offense grade.

Michael Mayer (2020-22), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: 26-23 win over Ravens

Mayer caught his lone target for 11 yards.

Nick McCloud (2020), CB, New York Giants

Result: 21-18 loss to Commanders

McCloud missed Week 2 with a knee injury.

Mike McGlinchey (2013-17), OL, Denver Broncos

Result: 13-6 loss to Steelers

McGlinchey allowed 2 pressures, including a sack.

Quenton Nelson (2014-17), OL, Indianapolis Colts

Result: 16-10 loss to Packers

Nelson allowed nothing in pass protection, finishing with an 84.1 pass-blocking grade.

Julian Okwara (2016-19), EDGE, Arizona Cardinals

Result: 41-10 win over Rams

Okwara was elevated to the active roster this week. He made 2 tackles in his Cardinals debut.

Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (2017-20), LB, Cleveland Browns

Result: 18-13 win over Jaguars

Osusu-Koramoah made 7 tackles, including 2 for loss.

Jarrett Patterson (2018-22), OL, Houston Texans

Result: 19-13 win over Bears

Patterson made his first start of the season at center, allowing 2 pressures.

Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 23-17 win over 49ers

Smith made 5 tackles and defended a pass.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Miami Dolphins

Result: 31-10 loss to Bills

Smythe caught his lone target for 8 yards.

Ronnie Stanley (2012-15), OL, Baltimore Ravens

Result: 26-23 loss to Ravens

Stanley allowed only 1 pressure, notching an 81.6 overall grade and an 89.0 pass-blocking grade.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DL, Minnesota Vikings

Result: 23-17 win over 49ers

Tillery totaled 2 pressures, and he made 1 tackle.

Drue Tranquill (2014-18), LB, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: 26-25 win over Bengals

Tranquill made 4 tackles.

Tommy Tremble (2018-20), TE, Carolina Panthers 

Result: 26-3 loss to Chargers

Tremble caught 3 passes and led the Panthers with 23 receiving yards.

Kyren Williams (2019-21), RB, Los Angeles Rams

Result: 41-10 loss to Cardinals

Williams carried 12 times for 25 yards, although he did find the end zone for the second time this season.

Brock Wright (2017-20), TE, Detroit Lions

Result: 20-16 loss to Buccaneers

Wright was not targeted.

Former Notre Dame football players on injured reserve

Estimé was placed on IR last week with an ankle injury. He’ll miss a minimum of four weeks.

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

After being elevated to the active roster due to injury at his position, Smith was released and re-signed to the Lions’ practice squad last week.

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