2015 DETROIT LIONS MEDIA GUIDE

72 - LAKEN TOMLINSON
Guard Duke Chicago, Ill.
Year: Rookie Ht: 6-3 Wt: 322 Born: 2/9/92
Draft: ‘15, R1 (28)-Det
Complete biographical information available on Detroitlions.com.
TRANSACTIONS
‣ ¾ Drafted by the Detroit Lions in the first round (28th overall) of the 2015 NFL Draft.
PRO
The Lions’ top pick of the 2015 NFL Draft (28th overall), Tomlinson’s size and athleticism further adds to the Lions’ young
offensive line as he is expected to be team’s mainstay at left guard following a four-year career at Duke.
COLLEGE
Lettered four seasons at Duke (2011-14) and helped the Blue Devils to 28 wins during that span, including the 2013 ACC
Coastal Division championship and three bowl game appearances (2012 Belk, 2013 Chick-fil-A & 2014 Hyundai Sun). Played
in and started 52 games as the team’s right guard, logging 3,962 career snaps, and was named team captain in 2014.
‣ ¾ Named Academic All-ACC all four years of his college career.
2014: Consensus All-America selection and was named First Team All-America by the Associated Press and Walter Camp
Foundation. Also earned second team honors from Athlon, Sporting News and USA Today and was a First Team All-ACC
choice by both the league’s head coaches and Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.
‣ ¾ Started all 13 games as the anchor along Duke’s offensive line, which led the nation in fewest tackles for loss allowed
per game (3.15) and ranked first in the ACC in sacks allowed per passing attempt (36.23) and second in sacks allowed
per game (1.00).
‣ ¾ Finished second in the balloting for the Jacobs Blocking Trophy, an honor presented annually to the top blocker in the ACC.
‣ ¾ Part of a Blue Devil offense that became the first in school history to average 180+ rushing yards and 210+ passing yards
per game. Duke’s 181.85 rushing yards per game is the program’s highest mark since 1977.
‣ ¾ Helped open holes for RB Shaun Wilson to set the school single-game record for rushing yards with 245 against Kansas.
‣ ¾ Offensive line helped QB Anthony Boone (5), QB Thomas Sirk (8) and Wilson (5) become just the fourth trio in Duke
history to post five or more rushing touchdowns, respectively, in a single season.
2013: First Team All-ACC choice by the league’s head coaches and was named to both the ACC and national All-Bowl
Teams by ESPN after helping the Blue Devils compile 661 total yards and 48 points against Texas A&M in the 46th annual
Chick-fil-A Bowl in Atlanta, Ga.
‣ ¾ Integral part of Duke’s offensive front that ranked first in the ACC in sacks allowed per passing attempt (27.8) and
established a school single-season-record 298 total first downs, 5,966 offensive yards and 459 points.
‣ ¾ Helped the Blue Devils offense finish among the ACC leaders in total offense (426.1; 4th), scoring (32.8; 5th), rushing
(178.0; 5th) and passing (248.1; 6th).
‣ ¾ Duke offense also became the first in school history, and one of just four in the ACC in 2013, to amass 25+ rushing and
25+ passing touchdowns.
2012: As a sophomore, was the recipient of the Sonny Falcone Iron Duke Award, a team honor presented annually to one
offensive player, one defensive player and one player in the developmental program for their year-round commitment to
strength and conditioning.
‣ ¾ Played a team-high 1,048 total snaps on his way to earning the program’s K.D. Kennedy Iron Devil Award.
‣ ¾ Started all 13 games at right guard.
2011: First Team Freshman All-America selection by Sporting News after starting all 12 games at right guard, becoming
just the seventh First Team Freshman All-America selection in school history.
‣ ¾ Named ACC Offensive Lineman of the Week after helping Duke throw for 335 yards with zero turnovers and zero sacks
allowed in a 31-27 road win over FIU.
PERSONAL
Played four seasons at Lane Technical High School in Chicago under coach Rich Rio, where he was listed as the 23rd-best
offensive guard by Scout.com and 20th-best offensive lineman in the country by USA Today’s Tom Lemming.
‣ ¾ Earned all-state honors as a senior from both the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association and Chicago Tribune
after being named team MVP.
‣ ¾ Was a two-time all-city pick and four-time first team all-conference selection. Helped Lane to the 2008 Chicago Public
League football championship.
‣ ¾ Also competed in track and field at Lane in discus and shot put.
‣ ¾ In May of 2012, joined nine Duke teammates on a mission trip to Langano, Ethiopia for a water well-digging project.
‣ ¾ Graduated from Duke with degrees in both evolutionary anthropology (B.A.) and psychology (B.S.).
DETROIT LIONS
PLAYER PROFILES