Less than 24 hours after selecting Laken Tomlinson, a guard from Duke University as their No. 1 pick – the 28th overall – in the First Round of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Detroit Lions officially introduced him on Friday, May 1 to the local media. At a press conference held at the team’s Allen Park Headquarters and Training Facility, Lions’ head coach Jim Caldwell; executive vice president of football operations and general manager Martin Mayhew; and team president Tom Lewand, were all smiles as they welcomed the 6-4, 330 pounder to the team. Tomlinson was also beaming, as he calmly answered a bevy of questions from metro Detroit’s print and electronic media outlets.
Tomlinson, who was widely projected to go sometime in the second round, fills a major need on the Lions’ offensive line. The team hopes that he can provide consistent protection for quarterback Matt Stafford against rushing defensive players. The Lions also hope that Tomlinson will open up lanes for running backs to maneuver through for valuable yardage. The Lions ranked 28th in rushing last season.
Hailing from a college that universally is known for its national basketball championships and star players entering the NBA, Tomlinson was instrumental in Duke showing some national gridiron power. During his four years of playing, he helped the Blue Devils win 28 games, inclusive of the 2013 ACC Coastal Division Championship, while making three bowl game appearances. After he was redshirted as a freshman, Tomlinson showed durability by started 52 consecutive games through his senior year.
In his senior year, Tomlinson was a consensus All-America selection by the Associated Press and Walter Camp Foundation. He was also a second team All-America pick by Sporting News and USA Today. He was a team captain and started all 13 games as a senior. Tomlinson was a major part of the Duke offensive line that lead the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed per game (3.15).
Born in Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica, Tomlinson grew up in a small, crowded, and very humbling dwelling. He said that he and his siblings lived with a large extended family, which including his mother’s siblings and a host of other relatives. His first sport played, according to Tomlinson, was soccer while living in Jamaica.
At age 11, Tomlinson migrated with his mother, Audrey Wilson, to the United States and settled in the Rogers Park section of Chicago. They lived with his grandparents, who had left Jamaica many years earlier. “It was rough when I first got to Chicago,” said Tomlinson. “It was so cold. In Jamaica I never wore many sweaters. There was also a language barrier that I had to overcome.”
Additionally, Rogers Park had more than its share of rival gangs and crime. Determined to stay focused and out of trouble, Tomlinson discovered football, especially as he began to pick up weight. He credits his uncle, Chris Wilson, with telling him about the game.
While much different than the game of soccer that he played in his native Jamaica, before long, Tomlinson had learned the finer points of football. “I didn’t even really know what football was until I actually started playing. I hardly knew who the Chicago Bears were,” Tomlinson once told a writer for Duke’s newspaper. “What really excited me about football was that I could go out there and run around and hit people. I thought that was pretty fun at the time.”
Tomlinson would go on and play four years at Lane Technical High School, Chicago’s largest high school. He had to travel up to 90 minutes from Rogers Park to attend Lane, which afforded him an exceptional platform to develop both his academic and athletic aspirations.
As an outstanding offensive lineman at Lane, Scout.com listed him as the 23rd-best offensive guard in America, and was the 26th –top offensive line prospect in the country, according to SuperPrep. USA Today listed him as the 29th –best offensive tackle in the nation. Tomlinson, helped his high school team win the 2008 Chicago Public League Football Championship. He also lettered in track and field as a shot put standout.
There were no shortages of colleges that wanted Tomlinson on their respective offensive lines after his senior year at Lane. Yet, Tomlinson choose Duke, where he felt that he could better excel, both on the gridiron and in the classroom. He graduated last December with dual undergraduate degrees: a B.A. in evolutionary anthropology and a B.S. in psychology.
Tomlinson revealed that when his professional playing days are over, many years from now, he wants to be a neurosurgeon. He also wants to help improve the health care system in Jamaica where he still has family and friends. ”My dad is still there. He was really excited about everything that has happened,” said Tomlinson, whose mother attended the Lions’ press conference. ”I still have an extended family there and they were rooting for me. I would say the whole island is pretty happy right now.”
While Tomlinson has long-range goals of becoming a neurosurgeon, for the foreseeable future, the Detroit Lions Football Club and their championship-hungry fans are looking forward to seeing Tomlinson “operate “on the football field against opposing defensive players.
“I’ve always been impressed by people who have powerful ambitions and want to do something bigger than themselves,” said Caldwell. “Laken Tomlinson has done that in every aspect of his life. He’s done it from an academic standpoint; he’s done it from a football standpoint. I’m extremely happy to have him on this team.”
“I’m excited. I can’t wait to play for the Detroit Lions,” said Tomlinson. “I’m ready to get back to work.”
