Laken Tomlinson, T.J. Clemmings

Duke guard Laken Tomlinson (right) will make some team very happy, according to NFL draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

(AP File Photo)

The Detroit Lions are on the brink of completely overhauling its starting offensive line in just three years. The team released Stephen Peterman, opted not to re-sign Gosder Cherilus and Dominic Raiola and saw left tackle Jeff Backus hang up the cleats after 12 seasons.

The total transformation hinges on what the team does with free agent left guard Rob Sims. If the Lions opt to replace him through the draft -- like they did with Backus, Peterson and Raiola -- there are plenty of options available, according to NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock.

In 2013, the Lions struck gold by snagging Kentucky guard Larry Warford early in the third round. Mayock is convinced a team will land a similar caliber player this year in Duke's Laken Tomlinson.

"This is a big, square, tough guy," Mayock said during a conference call on Monday. "Smart as can be, he gets movement in the run game, surprisingly quick in short areas. I think he really helped himself at the Senior Bowl. I think a lot of the doubters, as far as his athleticism and ability to pass block, went, 'Ooh."

Tomlinson measured in at 6-foot-3, 323 pounds at the college All-Star game in Mobile, Ala. He's extremely durable, starting all 52 games in four years at Duke. Plus, his smarts extend beyond the football field. He was an academic All-American while double-majoring in evolutionary anthropology and psychology.

Mayock also highlighted South Carolina's A.J. Cann as a second-round possibility for the Lions. A four-year starter and first-team All-American, Cann isn't as big as Warford or Tomlinson with a listed weight of 311 pounds, but makes up for it with extraordinary athleticism.

If the Lions go a different direction or miss out on both Cann and Tomlinson in the second round, Mayock noted two third-round options for Detroit.

"I think a third-round guy might be John Miller from Louisville, another one of those big, tough, square guys that gets movement in the run game," Mayock said. "Jarvis Harrison (Texas A&M), another guard that maybe underachieved a little bit with a lot of talent, maybe third or fourth round."

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