History Made: Minnesota Player Secures Rare Top 5 NFL Draft Spot

The NFL Draft got underway yesterday and for only the third time in more than 50 years a Minnesota born player is drafted in the top 5.

According to Stacker.com, only two other Minnesota born football players have been drafted within the first 5 picks of the NFL Draft, Minneapolis born Larry Fitzgerald went third overall in 2004, and Trey Lance from Marshall was drafted third overall in 2021, and now in 2024 we can add another player to the list.

Going fifth last night in the first round of the draft was Offensive Tackle Joe Alt, he was born in North Oaks and played high school football at Totino-Grace in Fridley before playing college football at Notre Dame.  Alt was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers and is expected to start for the team next season and make an immediate impact on the field.

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Alt is no stranger to the NFL, his dad, John Alt, played for the Kansas City Chiefs as an offensive tackle between 1984 and 1996, he was also drafted in the first round of the NFL Draft, he went 21st overall in the 1984 draft.

The Alt family is very sporty, Joe's older brother, Mark Alt, plays in the NHL, he's currently a free agent, but has played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche, and the Los Angeles Kings.  He was drafted 53rd overall in the 2010 NHL Draft.

The Alt family gathered at the Dellwood Country Club for a draft party, waiting for the call, the call came with just a few minutes left on the clock for the Chargers, Alt had a quick conversation with team management and new coach Jim Harbaugh.