Position draft previews: Lots of offensive tackle help available

The first in a series on top prospects by position leading up to the April 26-27 NFL Draft:

Offensive tackle prospects

With every painful hit taken by Tom Brady in Super Bowl XLII, a beating for all to see, it was quite apparent the Patriots tackles in front of him were not equipped to handle the edge rushers of the New York Giants.

The Giants are a perfect case study for what teams want from their defense these days: Fast edge rushers who can impact a game and perhaps even cover up for a so-so secondary.

Michigan's Jake Long is expected to fly off the board early on April 26. (Getty Images)

That's why finding good tackles to keep those edge rushers off the quarterback is even more vital than it has been, and that's saying something. Tackle, especially the left side, has always been one of the game's most important positions.

"It's such a tough position to play," Titans coach Jeff Fisher said.

Fisher is lucky. He has an outstanding pair of tackles, maybe the best 1-2 combination in the league. But for those who don't have that type of talent comes some good news. The 2008 tackle class is one of the best we have seen in a long, long time.

"It's the best group I've seen in 24 years collectively," Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said. "It was a good group before the juniors were added to it. Those guys enhanced what we think is a really strong group."

Michigan's Jake Long is the top prospect, and he should be off the board in the first five picks, but he won't be alone in the first round. Boise State's Ryan Clady, Pittsburgh's Jeff Otah, Vanderbilt's Chris Williams and Boston College's Gosder Cherilus could all be joining Long. Clady and Otah could be top 15 picks.

After that group, it's USC's Sam Baker and Anthony Collins of Kansas. Some teams also think Virginia guard Brandon Albert could be a left tackle.

"We think there are some damn good players at that position," Texans coach Gary Kubiak said. "We have to have somebody to protect that edge for a long time. We have (three) right-handed quarterbacks (Matt Schaub, Sage Rosenfels and Quinn Gray). Look who we play in our division -- Dwight Freeney (Colts) and Kyle Vanden Bosch (Titans) twice a year. You better be damn good at protecting the quarterback."

Gosder Cherilus could be another of the tackle prospects to go in Round 1. (Getty Images)

It's that way for all teams. There was an average of 428 passing yards per game last season, the second highest in league history. That's in part because more and more teams are spreading defenses out. That makes for mismatches in the secondary, but it also means you'd better have tackles who can protect.

The New England Patriots rolled to an 18-0 mark before the Super Bowl in part because tackles Matt Light and Nick Kaczur held up. In the loss to the Giants, they did not, and the Patriots never adjusted by helping them.

This year's draft class of tackles will bolster several teams.

"The majority of them can play on the left side or play both sides," Colbert said. "It's unusual to have that many guys that big and that athletic and that productive. I think for the ones that are on the right, some of them have actually played on the left before and they probably have that flexibility. Just to be able to play the left is such a premium."

Last year the Cleveland Browns used the third overall pick on left tackle Joe Thomas, and he rewarded them by going to the Pro Bowl. The Indianapolis Colts traded their 2008 first-round pick a year ago to draft Tony Ugoh, who became a rookie starter.

Thomas is now the benchmark for young tackles coming into the league. The natural comparison with Long is being made because both came out of the Big Ten. Most scouts I spoke to don't think Long is quite in the same class.

"He's not as tough," one personnel director said. "Long's a good player, but not Thomas good."

Long has heard the comparisons.

"He's a great player and represented his school in the Big Ten very well," Long said. "He had a great rookie season. I'm going to have to follow in his footsteps and represent for the Big Ten. He showed me and all the other rookies that you can come in and make a huge impact, have a great season. That's encouraging to me and to other players I'm sure."

After Long, most scouts have Clady as the No. 2 tackle. The knock on him is that he's a little light in the ass, which could impact his base in pass protection. He's 6-feet-6 and 309 pounds, but he is built more like a basketball player than a tackle.

Otah is an intriguing prospect because he's huge at 6-6, 325 pounds, and because he's a former basketball player who shows good feet. The knocks are that he has only been playing football for five years.

"This worries me, too," said one personnel director. He pointed to his heart.

To play tackle in the NFL, you can't lack it. You can't lack toughness and you have to be athletic enough to take on those speed rushers.

It is no wonder personnel people are so excited about this year's crop. They must have them the way the game is played today, and this group can help fill that need.