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On Day 3 of the 2021 NFL Draft the first Wisconsin Badgers player was taken when Isaiahh Loudermilk was drafted by the Steelers in the fifth round. Later on Saturday, CB Rachad Wildgoose was selected by the Buffalo Bills in the sixth round with pick No. 213. A mere one pick later and OL Cole Van Lanen was taken by the hometown Green Bay Packers! Related
Our resident draft expert, and former offensive lineman himself, Owen Riese had this to say about Van Lanen in his scouting report:
Cole Van Lanen was the first big recruit that Paul Chryst was able to land as the head coach of the Wisconsin Badgers. Van Lanen was a 4-star recruit out of Bay Port High School in Green Bay.
Do you think Cole Van Lanen is going to move back in with his parents?
Ryan: He might as well, at least for the time being, until he gets his first pro check. Hard to beat that short of a commute to work. And if mom and dad are covering the grocery bill for a 6-foot-4, 300 pound lineman, you can’t give that up.
Belz: He might as well for a few months. Nothing like a 10-minute commute to and from work. Overall, that is a perfect landing spot for him though. The Packers are in desperate need of lineman, and like the Badgers they cross-train them to play multiple positions. Van Lanen could help the Packers out inside or at tackle, and it’s awesome that he will be able to inside the state to do it.
5 Things To Know About G Beau Benzschawel Apr 19, 2021 at 11:02 AM
Benzschawel, who played for the Wisconsin Badgers in college, joins his third NFL team after signing with the Detroit Lions as a college free agent in 2019. Here are five things to know about one of the newest additions to Washington s roster.
1. He starred as a tight end and defensive end in high school.
Benzschawel was only a three-star recruit coming out of Grafton High School in Wisconsin, but he was actually one of the better players the state had to offer.
ESPN ranked him as the 39th-best prospect at his position and 14th overall in the state. But he wasn t known as an offensive lineman back then; rather,
Look-alike teams meet when No. 25 Badgers visit No. 19 Iowa
By ERIC OLSONDecember 10, 2020 GMT
Kirk Ferentz used Wisconsin as his template when he started building Iowa’s program in 1999.
Good choice. The Badgers of that period were in the top 10 and going to Rose Bowls, and they’ve been the dominant team in the Big Ten West since the league went to its current alignment.
“Not that we live in the same neighborhood,” Ferentz said, “but we’re a lot more like them maybe than we are an Ohio State.”
For Iowa, like Wisconsin, it’s more about strength than speed, toughness, big linemen knocking down the opponent and an emphasis on player development over star power in recruiting.