Chicago Bears 7-Round Mock Draft: Bold trades for WR, QB

The Chicago Bears can never have too many offensive linemen

There is an old saying that reads, “if you want to be an NFL offensive lineman, go to Wisconsin.”

Wisconsin sends more offensive linemen to the NFL than just about any other school in the nation, and whether or not we’re talking a first-round talent or a late-round talent, chances are, the pick will stick around for a while.

For a team like the Bears, who need plenty of competition at tackle, going with one more in this draft would be beneficial. With their last pick in the draft, the Bears select Wisconsin’s Cole Van Lanen.

The 6-foot-5 Van Lanen will go later in the draft simply because of a lack of length and reach. That’s the biggest downside to his game when you read a handful of scouting reports. However, what he lacks in those departments, Van Lanen makes up elsewhere.

This is a guy who is a tank coming off the line of scrimmage. Van Lanen packs a punch. He certainly doesn’t lack for strength, but that strength is best served in the run game. He’ll have to learn how to use it while moving outward and blocking pass rushers.

Regardless of whether or not Van Lanen becomes a starter down the road, selecting him would tell the current linemen that Chicago is serious about creating a culture of competition here. This would be the Bears’ second offensive tackle taken in the draft and would give them a crowded room there. Competition typically breeds success, so this is a smart pick.