Laken Tomlinson

Laken Tomlinson
No. 72 Detroit Lions
Position: Guard
Personal information
Date of birth: (1992-02-09) February 9, 1992
Place of birth: Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight: 312 lb (142 kg)
Career information
High school: Chicago (IL) Lane Tech
College: Duke
NFL Draft: 2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 28
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of 2016
Games played: 16
Games started: 14
Player stats at NFL.com
Player stats at PFR

Laken Tomlinson (born February 9, 1992) is an American football offensive guard for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Duke.

Early years

Tomlinson was born in Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica and moved to Chicago, Illinois in March 2003.[1][2][3][4] He attended Lane Technical College Prep High School in Chicago, where he was a two-sport star in both football and track. He was an All-state selection as a senior by both the Illinois High School Football Coaches Association and Chicago Tribune. He was named the team MVP as a senior. He was a two-time All-city pick. He was also a four-time first team All-conference selection. He helped Lane to the 2008 Chicago Public League football championship.

Tomlinson also lettered in track & field at Lane. At the 2009 Chicago Public League T&F Championship, he placed first in the discus (140-06 or 42.9m) and second in the shot put. In the 2009 Illinois 3A State T&F Championship meet, he threw personal-bests of 43.01 meters (141-1) in the discus throw and 14.58 meters (47-7) in the shot put to place 17th and 22nd, respectively, in the preliminary heats.[5]

College career

Tomlinson attended Duke University from 2011 to 2014. He became a starter his freshman season and started 52 games during his career. As a senior he was named an All-American by Walter Camp Football Foundation (WCFF).[6] He was named the men's ACC Athlete of the Year by winning the Anthony J. McKevlin Award in 2015.[7]

Professional career

Detroit Lions

Tomlinson was drafted 28th overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2015 NFL Draft.[8] He was the first Duke player to be selected in the first round of an NFL draft since Mike Junkin in 1987.

References

  1. ↑ "Tomlinson takes long road from Jamaica to All-America". Sports Illustrated. 2014-12-24. Retrieved 2016-05-26.
  2. ↑ "Lane Tech stars have NFL's attention at the Senior Bowl". Chicago Sun Times. 2015-01-21. Retrieved 2015-02-10.
  3. ↑ Steve Wiseman (2014-08-02). "From Devil to doctor". The Herald-Sun. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  4. ↑ "Duke Blue Devils' Laken Tomlinson uses football to pursue his dream". Espn.go.com. 2013-12-03. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  5. ↑ "IHSA Boys State T&F Championships- Class AAA Boys - Prelims". Il.milesplit.com. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  6. ↑ "Cash, Tomlinson Are Walter Camp All-Americans - Duke University Blue Devils | Official Athletics Site". GoDuke.com. Retrieved 2015-05-05.
  7. ↑ "Tomlinson Honored With McKevlin Award". GoDuke.com. Retrieved 1 July 2015.
  8. ↑ Twentyman, Tim (April 30, 2015). "Detroit Lions trade back, draft guard Laken Tomlinson". Detroit Lions. Retrieved April 30, 2015.
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