COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — The Los Angeles Chargers' new brain trust of coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Joe Hortiz has spoken about wanting a physical team on offense that can wear down opponents.
With their first selection, Harbaugh and Hortiz took a step in that direction, taking Notre Dame offensive tackle Joe Alt with the fifth pick in the NFL draft Thursday night.
“I said it from the beginning when we started talking about the draft, we were going to take the best player available for the Chargers,” Hortiz said. “(Alt) helps our team and he helps us get better. We want to get better with every pick, and that’s what we feel like we did.”
The Chargers elected to go with the offensive line in the first round for the third time in four years despite having a need at wide receiver after they released Mike Williams and traded Keenan Allen to Chicago for a fourth-round pick.
LSU's Malik Nabers and Washington's Rome Odunze were among the receivers available when the Chargers went on the clock, but Los Angeles went with the consensus top offensive line prospect in the draft.
“I know the question is going to come up and you’re going to say, ‘What about a weapon?’ Offensive linemen, we look at as weapons,” Harbaugh said. “That group, when we talk about attacking, offensive line is the tip of the spear.”
Alt played 38 games at Notre Dame and started 33 at left tackle. He is also the first player from the Fighting Irish to go in the top five since quarterback Rick Mirer went second overall to the Seattle Seahawks in 1993.
Alt said he thought it was possible the Chargers would pick him.
“I thought I had a great interview during the combine and had a good time with coach Harbaugh and the staff and talk about offensive line play,” Ault said.
The Chargers appeared to be in a good position to acquire extra picks and trade down, but decided to stand pat. Hortiz said there were some calls about the pick, including one while the Chargers were on the clock, but there wasn't an enticing offer made to move back.
Alt joins fellow first-round picks left tackle Rashaun Slater and left guard Zion Johnson in the offensive line room. Bradley Bozeman is projected to be the starting center after signing as a free agent while right tackle Trey Pipkins and right guard Jamaree Salyer were starters last season.
Harbaugh did not want to immediately address where he expects Ault to fit in on the line, but he did say Slater is set at left tackle. After Pipkins struggled two of the past three years, it appears Ault is likely to play at right tackle.
Alt took some snaps at right tackle during preseason fall camp his freshman year, but played on the left side during games.
“I don’t think it will be a huge adjustment for me,” he said. “During combine prep I prepared to play right side. I think it is something I'll be able to do if that's what the coach would like.”
Alt is the highest-drafted Notre Dame offensive lineman since George Kunz went second overall to the Atlanta Falcons in 1969. In 2018, guard Quenton Nelson went sixth overall to Indianapolis and tackle Michael McGlinchey was picked ninth by San Francisco.
Alt's father, offensive tackle John Alt, was a first-round draft selection by Kansas City in 1984 and a two-time Pro Bowl selection during 13 seasons with the Chiefs.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - Notre Dame offensive lineman Joe Alt (76) during the second half of an NCAA college football game against Pittsburgh Saturday, Oct. 28, 2023, in South Bend, Ind. Alt is a possible first round pick in the NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Michael Caterina, File)
FILE - Notre Dame offensive lineman Joe Alt looks on before an NCAA college football game against Clemson, Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023, in Clemson, S.C. Alt is a possible first round pick in the NFL Draft. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Bruins coach Jim Montgomery wanted to do something different with his team heading into a first-round Game 7 matchup with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Bruins were facing the prospect of blowing back-to-back 3-1 leads in the opening round and a sense of impending doom hung over the team.
Montgomery hoped a little change of scenery might do the trick. So instead of sleeping in their own beads ahead of the winner-take-all game Saturday night, they stayed at a hotel and took buses to TD Garden.
“The thinking was, we're 2-5 at home the last two years in the playoffs, and what's going to allow us to eliminate the noise?” Montgomery said.
He thought back to a visit he made to the New England Patriots' spring minicamp last year. There he spoke with former coach Bill Belichick about the importance of limiting distractions.
“It's something that stuck with me. And it's something that I've been preaching as the playoffs have been nearing,” he said.
It just may have saved Boston's season.
The Bruins overcame a deficit to tie it in regulation, then David Pastrnak scored 1:54 into overtime and the Bruins beat the Maple Leafs 2-1.
It was the kind of total team performance that Montgomery has been trying to draw out of his team since it initially took its 3-1 lead on Toronto.
It was also a slump-busing night for Pastrnak, who had a team-high four shots on goal after posting just two goals and two assists through six games. His puck handling was integral to jumpstarting Boston's offense in the third period and in overtime.
“A little relief as well,” Pastrnak said. “Obviously, the happiness from the group and sticking together the whole series was unbelievable and we couldn't be prouder of ourselves.”
Boston moves into the next round with netminder Jeremy Swayman playing at probably his highest level of the season. Since Montgomery stopped alternating Linus Ullmark and Swayman in Game 3, Swayman hasn't allowed more than two goals in a game.
“He was our best player in the series and it's not close,” Montgomery said.
It helped them ultimately narrowly avoided becoming the first NHL, NBA or Major League Baseball team to lose consecutive best-of-seven series after holding a 3-1 lead.
Montgomery said it is an experience the thinks will help him going forward.
“I think we’re a better team because of what we just went through. Now they know what it takes to push through,” he said. “First round’s the wild, wild west. It usually is. This year it seems like there’s only two Game 7s. But usually there’s six.”
And next up is another chance at redemption — and revenge — against a Florida Panthers team that rallied from 3-1 in last year’s first round to send home a Bruins team that set league records for wins and points in the regular season.
“That’s playoff hockey," Montgomery said. "Last year had no bearing on how this was going to bear out. We knew that. It’s a storyline, and that’s part of what comes with playoffs. That’s going to happen. But at the end of the day we did a great job staying in moment, believing in our group. And we came out on top.”
AP NHL playoffs: https://apnews.com/hub/stanley-cup and https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs' Matthew Knies (23) collides with Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (1) during the second period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Boston Bruins' Hampus Lindholm (27) celebrates his goal with Justin Brazeau (55) and Trent Frederic (11) behind Toronto Maple Leafs' David Kampf (64) during the third period of Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Boston Bruins' Jeremy Swayman (1) and Linus Ullmark (35) celebrate after defeating the Toronto Maple Leafs in overtime during Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak (88) sets up to score on Toronto Maple Leafs' Ilya Samsonov (35) in overtime during Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Boston Bruins' David Pastrnak (88) celebrates his goal with Morgan Geekie (39), Charlie McAvoy (73) and Brandon Carlo (25) in overtime during Game 7 of an NHL hockey Stanley Cup first-round playoff series against the Toronto Maple Leafs, Saturday, May 4, 2024, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
