The first three rounds of the NFL Draft are complete and Notre Dame is the only team that had two offensive linemen selected. It continued what has been just over a decades long tradition of Notre Dame being the best feeder program for offensive linemen to the NFL.
Left tackle Joe Alt was taken in the first round with the 5th overall pick by the Los Angeles Chargers, and Blake Fisher was taken in the second round with the 59th overall pick. Alt going that high was not a surprise, but Fisher being taken in the second round was. His film doesn't really scream second round pick, but Fisher's character, potential and pedigree appears to have vaulted him up draft boards.
Notre Dame's dominant run of producing offensive linemen began back in the 2014 NFL Draft, when Zack Martin (Dallas Cowboys) was taken in the first round and Chris Watt (San Diego Chargers) was taken in the third round. Including that draft, Notre Dame has now produced 12 draft picks from its offensive line. That's almost 25-percent of Notre Dame's total draft production during that period.
There are programs that have produced more offensive lineman during that stretch, but no one has produced more high level draft picks, and no one has produced more impact blockers into the NFL during that period of time.
Alabama (16), Ohio State (16), Michigan (14), Georgia (13) and LSU (13) have all produced more total offensive line draft picks, but no one has produced more picks in the first three rounds. Eleven of Notre Dame's 12 offensive line draft picks were taken in the first three rounds, including five in the first round. That is a mark that no team can match, and only Alabama has produced more first round picks (6), and only Alabama can match Notre Dame's nine picks in the first two rounds (9).
There's one huge difference between Notre Dame, Alabama, Ohio State, Georgia, MIchigan and LSU when it comes to producing NFL talent along the offensive line. That big difference is the quality of the Notre Dame blockers once they reach the NFL.
No one has produced more NFL Draft picks along the offensive line since 2014 than Alabama and Ohio State, who have produced 16 offensive line draft picks during that period of time. Just two of Alabama and Ohio State's 32 draft picks has earned an All-Pro honors, with both schools producing one All-Pro each. Just one of Michigan and Georgia's blockers has become an All-Pro, and none of LSU's 13 picks has earned All-Pro honors.
Those five programs produced a total of four players that went on to earn All-Pro honors in the NFL, which is the equivalent of being a college All-American. Those four players combined for five All-Pro honors from 2014 to 2023. Notre Dame has produced three All-Pro players, and those three players have combined for 14 All-Pro honors.
In 2019, former Notre Dame stars Martin, Quenton Nelson and Ronnie Stanley all earned first-team All-Pro honors from the Associated Press. In one just one season, Notre Dame produced more All-Pro honors than Alabama, Georgia and LSU have combined for the 2014-23 seasons combined. Mike McGlinchey, a first round pick back in 2018, earned PFWA All-Rookie honors. Last season, former Irish standouts Martin, Nelson, Stanley, Aaron Banks, Jarrett Patterson, Liam Eichenberg and Robert Hainsey were all NFL starters, and McGlinchey was prioro to being injured.
There's no debating this statement. Over the last decade, no college program has been a better producer of not only top draft picks, but also impact NFL offensive linemen. That tradition now adds to more talented players to the league, and more will be coming soon.
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