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Notre Dame in the NFL: Joe Alt leads all NFL tackles in pass blocking for Week 1

IMG_7504by: Jack Soble14 hours agojacksoble56
joe alt
Former Notre Dame and current Los Angeles Chargers offensive tackle Joe Alt. (Amanda Perobelli/Reuters via Imagn Images)

Picking a featured player for Notre Dame in the NFL in Week 1 was hard.

Sometimes it’s difficult for the wrong reasons. It doesn’t happen often, but every now and then, no one has a headline-worthy week. But to open the 2025 season, several former Irish put together standout performances around the league.

Kyle Hamilton was everywhere. Julian Love was excellent. Xavier Watts had one of the best rookie debuts of his class. Ronnie Stanley got a shout-out from the play-by-play announcer during the play, which is rare for an offensive linemen. Even less-heralded Notre Dame alumni like Robert Hainsey, Drue Tranquill and Ben Skowronek did some great things.

In the end, it was a coin flip between Hamilton and Joe Alt. The tiebreaker: Alt’s team came out on top.

Alt was perfect as a pass blocker in 41 opportunities, allowing zero pressures in his first start back at left tackle after spending his rookie year on the right side. The No. 5 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft earned a 91.4 Pro Football Focus pass-blocking grade, which was No. 1 among all tackles in the Week 1.

Alt, who is a captain in just his second season, led the Chargers to a 27-21 win over the defending AFC Champions on Friday night in Brazil. Due to veteran Rashawn Slater’s injury, Alt moved back to his natural left tackle position and he looks right at home.

Here’s how every other former Notre Dame player in the NFL performed in Week 1.

Brandon Aubrey (2017-20), K, Dallas Cowboys)

Result: L, 24-20 to Eagles

Aubrey went 2-of-2 on field goals, including a 53-yarder. He is now 25-of-28 on 50-plus-yard field goals in two-plus NFL seasons.

Aaron Banks (2017-20), G, Green Bay Packers

Result: W, 27-13 over Lions

Banks allowed 1 pressure but finished with a 44.0 PFF offense grade, largely due to his 40.5 mark as a run blocker.

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

Result: L, 23-20 to Buccaneers

Bertrand played 22 snaps on special teams, contributing on every unit but field goal (kickoff, kickoff return, punt, punt return, field goal block).

Beaux Collins (2024), WR, New York Giants

Result: L, 21-6 to Commanders

Collins played 2 offensive snaps. He was not targeted.

Howard Cross III (2019-24), DT, Cincinnati Bengals

Result: W, 17-16 over Browns

Cross was a healthy scratch.

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

Result: L, 27-24 to Vikings

Daly snapped 11 times successfully (6 on punts, 5 on field goals). He also made an assisted tackle.

Mitchell Evans (2021-24), TE, Carolina Panthers

Result: L, 26-10 to Jaguars

Evans played 9 offensive snaps and was not targeted.

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

Result: L, 14-9 to Rams

Fisher played 4 offensive snaps, committing a facemask penalty on one of them.

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

Result: W, 27-21 over Chiefs

Gilman made 9 tackles, and he allowed 2 receptions on 3 targets in coverage for 26 yards.

Blake Grupe (2022), K, New Orleans Saints

Result: L, 20-13 to Cardinals

Grupe went 2-of-3 on field goals, missing from 37 yards out.

Robert Hainsey (2017-20), C, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: W, 26-10 over Panthers

Hainsey did not allow a pressure in 32 opportunities, earning an 84.1 PFF pass-blocking grade and a 78.0 grade overall. The ex-Notre Dame lineman looks like a value signing for the Jaguars at 3 years, $21 million.

Kyle Hamilton (2019-21), S, Baltimore Ravens

Result: L, 41-40 to Bills

At times, it seems like there are 12 Kyle Hamiltons on the field. Sunday night was one of those times. Hamilton made 9 tackles, defended 2 passes, forced a fumble and intercepted a 2-point conversion attempt. He allowed 3 receptions for 23 yards on 6 targets, earning a 92.5 PFF coverage grade and 93.4 overall — and he just missed blocking the Bills’ game-winning field goal attempt.

That 93.4 grade ranked second among all defensive players in the NFL. The Notre Dame product is arguably the best safety in football, and it gets less arguable every week.

Thomas Harper (2023), S, Detroit Lions

Result: L, 27-13 to Packers

Harper was a healthy scratch.

Cam Hart (2019-23), CB, Los Angeles Chargers

Result: W, 27-21 over Chiefs

Hart played 39 snaps as a rotational corner, allowing 4 receptions on 8 targets for 62 yards. He also made 4 tackles.

JJ Jansen (2004-07), LS, Carolina Panthers

Result: L, 26-10 to Jaguars

Jansen snapped 4 times successfully, 2 on punts and 2 on kicks.

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

Result: W, 21-6 over Giants

Jean-Baptiste was a healthy scratch.

Jack Kiser (2019-24), LB, Jacksonville Jaguars

Result: W, 26-10 over Panthers

Kiser played 13 snaps on special teams across the Jaguars’ kickoff, kickoff return, punt and punt return units.

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

Result: L, 27-24 to Vikings

Kmet made a spectacular one-handed catch for 31 yards.

Riley Leonard (2024), QB, Indianapolis Colts

Result: W, 33-8 over Dolphins

Leonard was a healthy scratch, but he served as the Colts’ designated emergency third quarterback.

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

Result: L, 24-20 to Eagles

Liufau played 6 defensive snaps, making solo tackles on 3 of them. Per the Dallas Morning News, Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated that number will increase in the near future: “Certainly when we watch film, Marist is earning those rights to play more.”

Julian Love (2015-18), S, Seattle Seahawks

Result: L, 17-13 to 49ers

Like Hamilton, Love was everywhere. He made 10 tackles, including 3 defensive stops (tackles that result in a failure for the offense) and a sack. He was not targeted in coverage, and he added a blocked field goal to boot.

Michael Mayer (2021-23), TE, Las Vegas Raiders

Result: W, 20-13 over Patriots

Mayer caught all 4 of his targets for 38 yards.

Nick McCloud (2020), CB, Chicago Bears

Result: L, 27-24 to Vikings

McCloud started at nickel back for the injured Kyler Gordon. He allowed just 1 reception for 2 yards on 2 targets.

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

Result: W, 20-12 over Titans

McGlinchey allowed 2 pressures, including a quarterback hit, but he still finished with a 73.7 PFF pass-blocking grade.

Benjamin Morrison (2022-24), CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Result: W, 23-20 over Falcons

Morrison missed Week 1 with a hamstring injury, but the Buccaneers are not concerned. Per Bucs Wire, Tampa Bay head coach Todd Bowles said the team is being cautious with Morrison and he’s expected to return soon: “If it were an important game, he’d be playing. We’re just being smart with it. It’s a long season.”

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

Result: W, 33-8 over Dolphins

Nelson allowed 1 pressure, but he earned a 79.7 PFF run-blocking grade and 77.2 mark overall.

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

Result: L, 14-9 to Rams

Patterson played 18 snaps off the bench, allowing no pressures and finishing with a 59.1 overall grade.

Spencer Shrader (2023), K, Indianapolis Colts

Result: W, 33-8 over Dolphins

Shrader made all 4 of his field-goal attempts with a long of 48.

Ben Skowronek (2020), WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Result: W, 34-32 over Jets

Guess who caught Aaron Rodgers’ first touchdown pass as a Steeler? You’re wrong, it was Skowronek. He played just 10 offensive snaps, but he made one of them count with a 22-yard reception that he took to the house.

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

Result: W, 27-24 over Bears

Smith (illness) missed the Vikings’ win over the Bears.

Chris Smith (2022), DT, Detroit Lions

Result: L, 27-13 to Packers

Smith was a healthy scratch.

Durham Smythe (2013-17), TE, Chicago Bears

Result: L, 27-24 to Vikings

Smythe played 7 snaps and was not targeted.

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

Result: L, 41-40 to Bills

Stanley allowed zero pressures and earned an 87.0 PFF offense grade, including an 87.7 score in run blocking. He also flattened a defensive back to spring wide receiver Zay Flowers for a touchdown on a screen pass.

Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DT, Kansas City Chiefs

Result: L, 27-21 to Chargers

Tillery picked up 2 quarterback pressures and made 1 tackle.

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

Result: L, 27-21 to Chargers

Tranquill made 5 tackles and sacked Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert twice.

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

Result: L, 26-10 to Jaguars

Tremble caught his lone target for 2 yards.

Xavier Watts (2020-24), S, Atlanta Falcons

Result: L, 23-20 to Buccaneers

Watts allowed a touchdown in coverage, but his debut was otherwise very successful. He made 6 tackles without a miss and broke up 2 passes.

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

Result: W, 14-9 over Texans

Williams rushed 18 times for 66 yards (3.7 yards per carry) and a touchdown, which he scored from 1 yard out on fourth-and-goal. He also caught a pass for 3 yards.

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

Result: L, 27-13 to Packers

Wright played 24 snaps but was not targeted.

Former Notre Dame players on NFL practice squads

Former Notre Dame players beginning the season on the PUP or non-football injury list