NFL personnel experts are ecstatic over the depth at offensive tackle position in this year's NFL Draft in late April.

It starts with Michigan's Jake Long and could be reflected with a half-dozen tackles drafted in the first round.

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

Colbert said teams needing a tackle could find quality prospects as late as the third round this year. San Francisco 49ers GM Scot McCloughan echoes the sentiment, pointing to the athleticism of top prospects and the development of pass-protection techniques in wide-open college offenses as keys.

"You don't see a lot of power anymore - you don't see anybody coming off the line of scrimmage and drive-blocking," McCloughan said. "But you can get to that point.

"You see guys coming in at 315, 320 (pounds) and they have a chance to be 340 and still have their quickness."