Joe Alt did the unthinkable in Chargers debut vs. Raiders in Week 1

The LA Chargers shocked many in the football world when the team drafted Notre Dame's Joe Alt with the fifth-overall pick instead of LSU's Malik Nabers. Wide receiver was a bigger need for the Chargers and Nabers looked like a legitimate franchise guy coming to the league. However, the team was high on Alt and that was ultimately the selection.

The surprise in the Alt pick was not meant to be a knock on the Notre Dame tackle as he was the consensus best offensive lineman in the draft. It was more so surprise that the Chargers avoided a roster need to secure what they figured to be a foundational piece for the offensive line for years to come.

Alt made his long-awaited NFL debut on Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders and did a great job in proving the Chargers right for their choice. The six-foot-eight rookie right tackle didn't just turn in a great game in his NFL debut, he did the unthinkable that very few NFL tackles have been able to do.

Joe Alt completely neutralizes Maxx Crosby and the Raiders' pass rush in Chargers debut

Alt went toe-to-toe with Maxx Crosby, who is one of the best edge rushers on the planet, and completely shut him down. The rookie had 11 one-on-one pass-blocking reps against the elite Raiders edge and did not allow a single pressure. No, that is not a typo.

To put into perspective how special this is, Crosby has not been shut out in an individual matchup since Week 9 of the 2022 season. It has been a season and a half since Crosby has been blanked like this and the last time it happened was against a Jacksonville Jaguars team that had the seventh-lowest pressure rate in the sport.

A franchise-altering No. 1 wide receiver is still more impactful than the best offensive tackles in the league (especially for a Chargers team that showed it lacks true weapons in the offense). However, Chargers fans can rest easy knowing that the team at least landed an elite tackle who is worthy of a top-five pick.

Is it a bit of a stretch to say this after just one NFL game? Perhaps. But the list of rookie tackles to contain elite pass rushers is as short as it gets. And the list of those tackles who end up being busts with just one good game? That list does not exist.

Joe Alt is the real deal. He proved that on Sunday.