The Wisconsin Badgers’ June is turning out to be one productive month on the football recruiting trail. On Saturday, that productivity picked up to a whole new level with the verbal commitment of four-star offensive tackle Cole Van Lanen.
I couldn't be more happy to announce that I have officially decided to become a badger! #onwisconsin pic.twitter.com/C4qHu2GM2B
— Cole Van Lanen (@colevanlanen5) June 20, 2015
Van Lanen, who will participate in the U.S. Army All-American game, became the 11th commitment to the program for the 2016 class. He chose the Badgers over offers from Michigan, Michigan State, Iowa, Nebraska and many others.
His final group of schools were Wisconsin, Iowa, Michigan and Michigan State, but unlike fellow Top 100 OL Ben Bredeson, he chose the home-state Badgers.
“I grew up a Badger fan,” Van Lanen told our recruiting partners at Badger247. “That’s any kid’s dream (to play at Wisconsin). I really like Coach Chryst (Paul Chryst), Coach Rudolph (Joe Rudolph), and the coaching staff. I’m really comfortable with them.”
The Badgers 2016 class got it’s biggest commitment on Saturday, as Van Lanen is the No. 62-ranked overall player in the country and the No. 11-ranked offensive lineman in the country as well. Van Lanen is the No. 179-ranked player by the 247Sports composite rankings, the No. 20 offensive tackle and the No. 2 player in the state of Wisconsin.
His ranking soared as national recruiting pundits and recruiting services got a better look at him on film and the recruiting circuit. It is easy to see why, given his film and body type.
The 6-5, 275-pound native of Green Bay, Wis. (Bay Port High School) has one of the best looking games we’ve seen from an in-state offensive lineman since Josh Oglesby.
Rather than commit via phone, text or Twitter, Van Lanen showed how serious his commitment really is by driving down to Madison to deliver his commitment in person to head coach Paul Chryst and offensive coordinator Joe Rudolph.
Getting Van Lanen’s commitment to the program was huge, especially after losing out on fellow Top 100 247Sports in-state offensive lineman Ben Bredson to Michigan. It is the cherry on top of a huge month for UW, and the second offensive lineman to make a verbal pledge in June alone.
With Van Lanen’s commitment, the Badgers move up to No. 36 in the national 247Sports rankings and up one spot to No. 10 in the Big Ten recruiting rankings.
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