MIKE LUCAS Senior Writer

BY MIKE LUCAS
UWBadgers.com Senior Writer

MADISON, Wis. — Although Cole Van Lanen and Mason Stokke jumped on the path some 200 miles apart in the state of Wisconsin — Van Lanen in Green Bay and Stokke in Menomonie — they both had the same final destination in mind whenever they envisioned their future in football.

"I've definitely always dreamed about this since I was a kid," said Stokke, 23.

"It's been awesome to see the dream kind of turn into a reality," said Van Lanen, 22.

Their dream was to play in the National Football League, a dream that led them collegiately to Madison where they were members of the 2016 UW recruiting class. Over the last five seasons, Van Lanen, a left tackle, and Stokke, a fullback, have left their marks on the Badger program.

Wednesday they will take the next step together on that path when they take part in the campus Pro Day at the McClain Center. Joining them for the workouts will be teammates Adam Bay, Eric Burrell, Jon Dietzen, Garrett Groshek, Adam Krumholz, Isaiahh Loudermilk and Rachad Wildgoose.

Because the NFL has canceled its annual Scouting Combine due to COVID protocols — in addition to all individual team interviews still being virtual — these information-gathering Pro Days will take on a greater significance in the evaluation of prospects in advance of the April 29-May 1 draft.

Van Lanen and Stokke have done their homework by reaching out to former teammates who have an understanding of the process. For Van Lanen, it was Los Angeles Rams guard David Edwards and Dallas Cowboys center Tyler Biadasz. For Stokke, it was Las Vegas Raiders fullback Alec Ingold.

"I've talked a great amount to David and Tyler," Van Lanen said of Edwards, a 24-game starter for the Rams the past two seasons; and Biadasz, a four-game starter for the Cowboys as a rookie. "They helped a lot and I honed-in on what they were saying because they've been through it."

Biadasz' messaging was particularly instructive since he was drafted more recently as a fourth-round pick of the Cowboys in 2020. From that standpoint, Van Lanen felt Biadasz's experience and what he was able to share "was more relatable having had to do it through COVID."

Ingold, an undrafted free agent, was also a valuable resource to Stokke.

"During this process, I've called him and texted him and picked his brain," said Stokke, who was Ingold's understudy during the 2018 season at Wisconsin. "He's been really helpful — I've run things off him and asked questions and he has helped me prepare for it."

Former Badger fullbacks have an established track record in the NFL. Along with Ingold, who has appeared in 32 games (8 starts) for the Raiders, there's Derek Watt, a sixth-round selection in 2016 and a five-year veteran (76 games/13 starts) of the Pittsburgh Steelers and San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers.

"Wisconsin does a really good job of preparing fullbacks and coaching fullbacks for the next level," said Stokke who, like Watt and Ingold, made a conversion early in his UW career from linebacker to fullback. On his Badger pedigree, he added, "I do think that helps — we're proven that way."

UW offensive linemen have commanded respect in the NFL, too.

"Does it help coming from Wisconsin?" posed Van Lanen, a first-team All-Big Ten selection. "I'm sure it does with the productivity the O-linemen have had coming out of this university. But ultimately it comes down to everything that I've put on tape and everything that I've done."

For the last two months, Van Lanen has been training at the Michael Johnson Performance Center in McKinney, Texas, a suburb of Dallas-Fort Worth. Ohio State center Josh Myers and Illinois guard Kendrick Green, both first-team All-Big Ten picks, were among his workout partners.

"I learned a lot and I felt like I got a lot stronger and faster," said Van Lanen, who came under the wing of Duke Manyweather, a well-known O-line guru/whisperer/instructor. "I felt like I took a huge step in the right direction when I was down in Dallas. I thought I got a lot better in some areas."

Van Lanen was living in Texas during the deadly winter storm that knocked out power for millions of people and compromised water systems throughout the state.

"I didn't lose any power, but I know people who did," he said. "They had us running the faucets in our sinks and our shower heads to avoid our pipes from bursting. There were quite a few in our apartment building who had pipes burst. It wasn't a good situation, that's for sure."

A couple of months earlier (January 17-21), Stokke was in Fort Worth for the College Gridiron Showcase and Symposium, an annual all-star event featuring an OTA-style format including noncontact Combine testing drills and personal interviews with NFL scouts.

"The first two days were basically meetings and interviews," said Stokke, who was in the company of Burrell and a number of other Big Ten players like Northwestern's Peyton Ramsey. "The last day was football drills where the scouts watched. I felt like I did pretty well. It was a good event."

Stokke estimated that he had some communication with 14 teams while he was in Texas. On the line of questioning during the formal interviewing, he said, "It was very standard. Get to know you background. What are you going to bring to the team, football related questions."

Van Lanen has fielded the same basic inquiries.

"Everything is Zoom now," he noted. "That's how it's going to be for this whole process."

Van Lanen and Stokke have adjusted to a Zoom world. Theirs changed a year ago when UW classes went on-line in March. Spring practice was subsequently canceled. Summer conditioning was restricted. The Big Ten canceled the 2020 season in early August. Only to reinstate it in late October.

Wisconsin had three games canceled, including two of the first three against Nebraska and Purdue. Neither was made up. The Minnesota game was also canceled in late November but eventually played in mid-December. The Badgers beat the Gophers and won their bowl to post a 4-3 record.

"Every time you go through adversity, you come out stronger and you learn things and you become a better person from it," said Stokke, the starting fullback in all seven games. "I definitely think going through these experiences will help you not only in football but with anything you do in life."

Van Lanen was in full agreement.

"It was a year for everyone, especially in the Big Ten, to deal with adversity more than ever before," he said. "Me, personally, and everyone on the Badger football team, learned something and grew as a player and person throughout the year. You never know what life's going to throw at you."

Stokke and Van Lanen each considered returning for another season of eligibility.

"It was definitely something I thought about for awhile," said Stokke. "Some of my buddies were coming back so you always want to finish your career with them. I weighed my options but then I made the decision to leave. It was the best decision for me. I felt like I was ready to go."

Stokke has his undergraduate degree in personal finance. So does Van Lanen.

"I've had a lot of football under my belt," said Van Lanen, who played in 46 games with 20 career starts. "I wanted to play that senior season (in 2020) and we were granted that opportunity. I'm happy for the guys who decided to stay but I thought this was the best decision for me to come out."

John Chenal will be the leading candidate to replace Stokke at fullback. Chenal is no stranger to the position. Or the rock. He had five rushes and a touchdown against Wake Forest. Enthused Stokke, "That dude is a beast. He's ready to fill the role, no question. I expect big things from him this year."

Van Lanen and Jon Dietzen are the only losses on an offensive line that returns more than a handful of players with starting experience from the truncated 2020 season: Logan Bruss, Tyler Beach, Kayden Lyles, Josh Seltzner, Cormac Sampson, Tanor Bortolini and Michael Furtney.

"I'm really excited for the guys — I know they're taking this off-season really seriously to have one helluva year," said Van Lanen who added that Bruss is "the leader in that room now" with 26 career starts. "I'm excited for the younger guys, too, like (Logan) Brown, Furtney and (Jack) Nelson."

Nelson, a true freshman, got most of the practice reps at right tackle with the No. 2 offense. Observed Van Lanen, "He picked up things really well and he's just got that tenacity that makes an O-lineman great. He really doesn't have a ceiling. It can go as high as he wants it to go."

Question is, how high will Van Lanen go in the draft? What round?

"That's not important," he insisted. "Obviously, the ultimate goal is to get drafted. But I'm mentally prepared to go early, late, not get drafted. You're just doing everything you can to put yourself in the best possible situation and whatever happens happens. That's kind of my focus right now."

Stokke has a similar focus knowing that fullback is an acquired taste and not many NFL teams even have one on the roster. Whether drafted or not, he said, "I just want an opportunity. I already know that a fullback getting drafted is enough of a challenge. It's not going to shock me either way."

What should enhance Stokke's marketability is his receiving ability. Last season, he had eight catches and three touchdowns, including a 14-yard scoring reception in Duke's Mayo Bowl. In 2020, he also had a rushing touchdown among his 19 carries. For his career, he had 38 rushes and three scores.

Going into Wednesday's Pro Day, he said, "I'd just like to show them my athleticism. Some people might not think the traditional fullback is much of an athlete. But I'd like to show that I can catch the ball, run the ball and look athletic. That's a big thing with fullbacks in the NFL today. Being versatile."

As far as Van Lanen's goals for Pro Day, he said, "I want to show them how I move as a player; my footwork and my power an O-lineman. A lot of the stuff (drills), like at the Combine, are not O-line specific … But I'm moving great and I'm really excited to show them what I have to offer."

Neither Stokke, nor Van Lanen are taking anything for granted.

"Not a lot of people get to be in the position that I'm in," Van Lanen reasoned. "And I'm really excited to take advantage of what's in front of me … I try to control what I can control and work my tail off every day to put myself in the best opportunity possible come April."

Wednesday is the next step on that path.

"I've been kind of dreaming about this day," Stokke said.