Lions offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson goes through drills during the Lions' rookie minicamp on May 8 in Allen Park. (Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier DFP)

It shouldn't come as a surprise that an aspiring neurosurgeon is intelligent but, so far, Detroit Lions rookie left guard Laken Tomlinson is getting praise for his brain power.

"No question his smarts," right guard Larry Warford said. "He doesn't make a lot of mental mistakes, which my last two years I've seen that a little bit, guys messing things up in their head because it's hard to learn.

"A lot of people don't understand how complicated offensive-line play is as far as mentally. And he's come in, he hasn't made many mental mistakes at all. And he's a hard worker, you know?"

Tomlinson had a great reputation as a competitor at Duke, where he never missed a practice or a game on the field while earning degrees in evolutionary anthropology and psychology in the classroom.

But there is a bit of a surprise, or hint of promise, when it comes to Tomlinson. Warford, who had a Pro Bowl-caliber rookie season in 2013, thinks Tomlinson is ahead of where he was as at the same point in his rookie season.

"Probably," Warford said with a laugh. "I was a mess. Yeah, he probably is. I was a mess when I came here. I didn't know what was going on. I was like, 'God, I don't know what to do anymore. Why am I here?'

"He's taking everything in stride and he's doing great mentally, physically. He's the complete package."

Contact Carlos Monarrez: cmonarrez@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @cmonarrez.

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