Editor's Note: The AJC will run a series of stories leading up to the NFL Draft focusing on a position as it relates to the Falcons' needs. Today's story focuses on offensive tackles.

The NFL draft hasn't started yet, but the run on left tackles is under way.

Miami's pre-draft deal with Michigan tackle Jake Long signals that a talented group of tackles will go early Saturday.

"It's the best group I've seen in 24 years collectively," Pittsburgh's director of football operations Kevin Colbert said. "It's unusual to have that many guys that big and that athletic."

Miami hopes Long will have the same effect left tackle Joe Thomas had in Cleveland last year. Thomas was the No. 3 pick and helped stabilize the Browns' offensive line.

"If you can fix your offensive line, some of the other players have a chance to perform," Cleveland general manager Phil Savage said. "I know the addition of Joe [Thomas] helped a guy like Jamal Lewis, our quarterbacks, Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow."

With Long gone, the Falcons will have to look elsewhere for help. The team's tackle positions are in a state of flux. Wayne Gandy and Todd Weiner were the starting tackles for the first game last season, but Gandy was released and Weiner is battling back from knee surgery.

At their recent minicamp, the Falcons moved left guard Justin Blalock to right tackle and left tackle Quinn Ojinnaka to left guard. Pat McCoy, a late-season signee, lined up at left tackle.

The new coaching staff likes to cross-train players at the line positions.

"The whole versatility thing on the offensive line is huge," Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff said. "Most of these guys have the ability to play what we call right/left or left/right tackle. I think it's a good group that way, tackle wise. I think the versatility is there and that's what makes their value that much better."

The Falcons don't have to fret over the Long deal.

"I think you can get a tackle in [the first] three rounds," Colbert said.

With their cache of second-round picks, the Falcons could select Boston College's Gosider Cherilus or USC's Sam Baker. The Falcons have the 34th, 37th and 48th overall picks.

"Somebody could slide through the cracks at that particular point [34th]," ESPN draft analyst Mel Kiper said. "I like Sam Baker, the USC tackle. He has a first-round grade. He missed some games with injuries this year. Some people think he's more of a guard than a tackle."

Cherilus is a massive player at 6-foot-6 3/4, 314 pounds.

"He's not going to be a left tackle in the NFL," Kiper said. "He's a right tackle. He did struggle some at left tackle, but he got better later on in the year."

Another possibility in the second round is USC guard Chilo Rachal.

"I don't think a lot of people feel this way, but I think Chilo Rachal from USC is a guy — early second [round] — who was a guard at USC and played a little right tackle early in his career, is a good pick," Kiper said.

Some of the other top tackles like Boise State's Ryan Clady, Vanderbilt's Chris Williams, Virginia's Branden Albert and Pittsburgh's Jeff Otah will not be available in the second round. There is a possibility the Falcons could use a couple of their second-round picks to move into the first round to select a tackle.

Seattle has the 25th pick and Green Bay has the 30th pick. Both have a penchant for trading down.

Green Bay general manager Ted Thompson has traded back nine times with the Packers and 14 times over his career. He's never traded up.

"I do think this is a very strong group in the offensive line," Thompson said. "Not only early in the draft; I think it will be strong and I think teams will have opportunities later on in the draft as well."