Writers are always told to avoid cliches, but NFL coaches are told no such thing. So when you talk to them about games being won in the trenches, most coaches can only nod their head in emphatic agreement.

Several teams, such as the reigning Super Bowl champions, won a lot of games in the trenches this season. For the teams that lost more games than they won because of poor line play, a player like Duke OG Laken Tomlinson makes a lot of sense.

“I’ve been getting a lot of great feedback, a lot of stuff you would want to hear,” said Tomlinson of what he’s heard from NFL teams this week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala. “I’ve talked to almost all the teams and heard good things.”

Tomlinson has looked good early in the week. He is a powerful player who delivers a good initial pop and drives opponents off the ball. He is also surprisingly nimble in space, routinely making blocks on the second level.

Playing against the best senior prospects in the country, he more than held his own.

“It felt good to get back out there today and knock some of the rust off,” he said. “I have a lot of stuff I need to work on to get better, but I feel like I’ll be good by the end of the week.”

Tomlinson, who is from Jamaica and only started playing football in high school, still has a lot of untapped ability. But to say he is a raw prospect is unfair at this point. He started 52 games at Duke and is certain he can step in and make an immediate impact in the NFL.

“I’m very confident,” he said. “I feel like whenever I’m needed to start I can start. I could come in and be a starter in the NFL right now.”

Tomlinson’s confidence should not be confused with arrogance. He is a grounded player who is honest with himself about his strengths and weaknesses, openly admitting his run blocking is better than his pass protection at this point in his career. He is doing what he can to close that gap, starting with spending his offseason training at a camp hosted by former NFL center LeCharles Bentley.

“We’ve been working on how I handle the pass rush, getting off the ball quicker and creating space and things like that to make me that much better,” Tomlinson said. “He’s doing great things to sharpen up my technique and keep me grounded.”

His work with Bentley has made him even more confident, both on the field and in the interview process. That may be as important as anything else, as all NFL draft prospects now have the next three months to try to sell themselves to one of 32 NFL teams.

“Being confident plays a big role,” he said. “When a coach asks you a question, you have to fire back at them and be very confident in your answers.”

Tomlinson tries to model his game after two NFL players, Chance Warmack (Tennessee) and Larry Warford (Detroit). He likes the way they play and tries to take the best parts from their games.

While he models himself after those two powerful guards, he may have a little more positional versatility than those two. Although he played only at guard at Duke, he has taken some practice reps at center, as well, and feels he can contribute at any of the three interior line positions.

This week in Mobile, Tomlinson is out to prove everything. Prove he can be versatile … prove he can hang with elite competition … prove he can hold his own in pass protection. In short, prove he belongs.

Calling this week the first step in his professional journey, Tomlinson said: “It’s a great experience just to be able to be out here and be able to go up against this type of competition.”

Originally projected as a late-round pick, Tomlinson’s offseason ascension could result in his name being called as early as the fourth round.

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