At the end of every season, the Reese’s Senior Bowl provides a way for senior college football players to showcase their talent for NFL scouts and head coaches against other elite college competition before the NFL Combine.
Wisconsin offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen made this year’s watchlist for the prestigious game after having two phenomenal years as the left tackle for the Badgers.
Van Lanen has seen his draft stock rise this offseason even with the postponement of Big Ten football as he has been named a Walter Camp Preseason First Team All American, as well as has been named to the watchlist for the Outland Trophy that goes to the best interior lineman in college football.
Expectations were extremely high this season for the Green Bay, Wisc. native, but the postponement of the season until the spring likely means the end of Van Lanen’s college career at Wisconsin. Van Lanen currently has a second-round draft prediction by Pro Football Focus, and it will be interesting to see how opting out of the spring season could impact his draft stock.
It’s official! The @Reeses Senior Bowl Top 250
O-Line Tackles #Bookends#BestOfTheBest#TheDraftStartsInMOBILE pic.twitter.com/O9eCr9K5E2— Reese's Senior Bowl (@seniorbowl) August 20, 2020
Van Lanen has shown in his time at Wisconsin that he is an elite offensive tackle in college football and his naming to the watchlist for the Reese’s Senior Bowl means that NFL scouts and analysts believe that he will be successful at the next level.
It is something to note that Eric Burrell another senior on the roster, who has been named two watchlists for the top defensive back and defensive player in the country, was not included in this watchlist.