Washington Redskins Draft Profiles: Laken Tomlinson, G

Laken Tomlinson

Guard

Height: 6'3"

Weight: 323 lbs.

Duke

Strengths: He has the perfect body for an NFL G with a huge upper body and wide, thick hips.  Very strong lower body.  Stout and unmovable.  Basically doesn't get pushed backwards.  Very aggressive hands.  Uses his eyes well and rarely misses extra or delayed rushers.  Excellent football IQ.  Keeps his pads low.  Known as a tough guy both mentally and physically and always plays with 100% effort.  Senior captain and four-year starter.  Reliable.  Proven work ethic and known as a very high-character guy.

Weaknesses: Lacks mobility.  Inconsistent at the second level in the run game.  Needs to work on his footwork.  Can be uncoordinated, especially in crowded spaces.  Gets caught flat-footed at times and can be put on the ground because of it.  Short arms and not the best balance.  Needs to work on anticipation.  Has only ever played RG.  Limited versatility.

Bottom Line: The Jamaican-born Tomlinson is great at the LoS but needs work beyond that.  He's incredibly reliable and rarely gets injured.  He's started 52 straight games at Duke.  3x All-ACC First-Teamer, 4x Academic All-ACC Honoree, and Orange Bowl Courage Award winner.

Tomlinson has incredible width and takes up a lot of room.  His size aids his excellent ability to anchor and plug holes along the line.  However, his limited mobility causes him to struggle in space or away from the LoS.  Plays with poor footwork.  Known as an incredible guy with an A+ work ethic.  Better pass protector than run blocker.

Projected Round: 2

Team He Fits Best On: Dolphins, Bills, Eagles