Chargers right tackle Joe Alt was perhaps the player with the most eyes on him when the Bolts preseason kicked off — and it's safe to stay he showed why.
Alt wrapped up his first NFL training camp after some high-level competition throughout the summer, displaying the reasons why he was a top-five pick.
Not only did he stand out with members on the team, he also impressed NFL pundits as well.
The Athletic's Nick Baumgardner went through every first-round pick and their performance in the preseason, separating them by different groups.
In the case of Alt, The Athletic's senior writer could not have been more impressed with the Chargers rookie in his first NFL action, listing him in his highest tier of "Preseason winners".
Baumgardner wrote:
Jim Harbaugh believes players get better at football by actually playing football, so it was no surprise to see Alt get 55 combined snaps while starting the Chargers' first two preseason games. (Alt did not play in the third game.)
It's also no surprise to see how smooth Alt looks on tape. He allowed just one pressure in 30 protection reps over those first two weeks and showed outstanding recovery in the process.
Alt finished with a pass blocking efficiency of 98.2 in a pair of preseason games, according to Pro Football Focus.
His best game out of the two came in Week 2 against the Rams, where he posted a 80.7 pass-blocking grade and did not allow a single pressure in 15 pass-blocking snaps. He was also the fourth-highest graded first-round pick from Week 2 of the preseason, according to PFF.
Alt flashed the tools that made him the No. 5 overall pick — and now awaits the challenges that will come in his first regular season as a pro.
If the preseason was any indication, Baumgarnder believes the Bolts are on their way to establishing a great core in the trenches.
Baumgardner wrote:
He's also already making a difference in the run game, as expected. At just 21 years old, Alt still has room for more power inside his massive 6-foot-8 frame. Alt was one of the highest-floor picks in the draft — a perfect fit opposite Rashawn Slater. And Harbaugh, who inherited the NFL's worst run-blocking offensive line, is already creating one of the most youthfully talented groups in football.
To read Baumgardner's full list, click here.
