The last time a Blue Devil was selected in the first round of the NFL draft, none of the current players on the Duke roster had been born.
That all changed Thursday night.
The Detroit Lions selected former Duke offensive guard Laken Tomlinson with the 28th pick of the first round at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago. Tomlinson is the first Blue Devil to merit a first-round pick in 28 years, when linebacker Mike Junkin was selected by the Cleveland Browns.
Tomlinson was a standout right guard for head coach David Cutcliffe and the Blue Devils, starting all 52 games during the past four seasons in Durham.
“We are so proud of Laken, and certainly could not be happier for him and his entire family,” Cutcliffe said in a press release. “Laken’s accountability is second to none. Fifty-two consecutive starts at right guard tell a part of the story, and the Lions will find out quickly just how reliable he is both on and off the field. Obviously, Laken has had a great deal of success on the field while playing at the highest level of college football. I truly believe that will translate into a successful professional career.”
Tomlinson grew up in Savanna-la-Mar, Jamaica, and was not introduced to American football until he was 10 years old, when his family moved to Chicago. He enrolled at Lane Technical High School and earned All-American honors his senior season before heading to Duke.
Named a first-team All American this year, Tomlinson attended the draft in person and was one of just 28 prospects to hear commissioner Roger Goodell call out their names live. Tomlinson brought a host of family members with him for the special occasion, which took place less than 10 miles away from Lane Tech.
The two-time first-team All ACC selection served as a team captain in 2014 as Duke posted a record of 9-4 and competed in its third consecutive bowl game. Tomlinson helped pave the way for a punishing Blue Devil rushing attack that averaged 181.8 yards per game on the ground to go along with 24 rushing touchdowns.
Tomlinson was the seventh offensive lineman to come off the board Thursday night. Entering the draft, he was viewed as a consensus first or second round pick whose strength lay in his run-blocking ability. Experts pegged Tomlinson's weakness as pass protection, an area he will have to improve in if he hopes to see playing time for head coach Jim Caldwell and the Lions.
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