ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- A quick look at first-round pick Laken Tomlinson and how he’s played through three weeks of training camp.

It’s been an interesting training camp so far for Detroit Lions first-round pick Tomlinson. He was drafted with the expectation that he could be a plug-and-play starter at left guard not only for this season, but also for the foreseeable future. But so far that hasn’t happened.

Laken Tomlinson is working to get more reps with the Lions' first team. AP Photo/Carlos Osorio

Veteran Manny Ramirez has started both preseason games at left guard and has seen the majority of first-team work in practices. At this point, there has been no sign that Tomlinson will pass Ramirez before the opening week of the season, either, although that can obviously change in the next two weeks.

He could be in line for a lot more work with the first unit the rest of the preseason, though, as Larry Warford injured his ankle last Thursday against Washington and it's unclear if he’ll play again this preseason.

While Tomlinson has not received a lot of first-team work so far, he has said he is on pace with the plans the coaches laid out for him before the season started, so it's possible the team wanted to ease him into the lineup anyway. This would make some sense, especially since the Lions are going to have Travis Swanson starting full-time at center for the first time. Having a veteran presence like Ramirez there can only help Swanson’s progression.

It will also give Tomlinson the chance to really learn by watching before he gets deep into learning by playing. At some point this season, he’ll end up in the lineup, and he has done some good things so far. He has dominated his competition at times in preseason games, but he was also beaten badly for a sack against Washington.

The one thing that really stood out was his recovery when someone does beat him out. He has been able to get back in the play well, and that shows progress. Pro Football Focus graded him out as Detroit’s second-best lineman over the first two games, so he is clearly taking steps to eventually be a starter for the Lions.