Lions take OG Laken Tomlinson to solidify offensive line
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The Detroit Lions have brought guard Laken Tomlinson into the fold with the 28th pick of the 2015 NFL Draft.
Tomlinson, a Duke product, was slowly moving his way up boards leading up to the draft and many felt he was one of the best guards available.
Tomlinson was widely considered the 3rd best OG in the draft behind Scherff and Collins (who's obviously off boards for now).
— Dave Birkett (@davebirkett) May 1, 2015
The Lions added guard Manny Ramirez from the Denver Broncos earlier in the night in a trade, giving Detroit a major upgrade in the middle of its offensive line.
Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson lead a Lions offense that loves to throw the football, and it's clear team brass made it a priority to boost their protection in order to allow them to do so with more efficiency.
Laken Tomlinson Bio
Position: G
School: Duke
College Experience: Redshirt Senior
Height: 6-3
Weight: 323 lbs.
Age: 23
Combine Results
| Event | Result |
|---|---|
| 40-yd Dash | 5.33 sec |
| Bench Press | 25 reps |
| Vertical Jump | 31.5 inches |
| Broad Jump | 103 inches |
| 3-Cone Drill | 8.17 sec |
| 20-yd Shuttle | 4.87 sec |
Strengths
- Excellent power. Able to manipulate and turn the defender away from the hole.
- Blocks down very well. Gets hips turned and has the ability to push defensive linemen across the line of scrimmage.
- Maintains a strong base in pass protection. Doesn't get pushed back or lose balance easily.
Weaknesses
- Can struggle in space when asked to block on screens.
- Has difficulty getting to the next level and tracking linebackers on the move.
- Cut blocking could stand to improve.