Chicago Bears 2021 Mock Draft: A big trade up saves Ryan Pace

Cole Van Lanen is the second tackle drafted by the Chicago Bears, this time in the sixth round.

Currently, the compensatory picks are not official. But, the Bears will more than likely end up with (at least) one in the sixth round. With their comp pick, the Bears select another Big Ten offensive tackle — once again, never a bad idea, especially coming from Wisconsin.

There’s a phrase out there that goes: if you want to play offensive line in the NFL, go to Wisconsin. That’s proven true time and time again, and Cole Van Lanen is about to continue building that notion.

Van Lanen is chock full of power at the tackle position, similar to Jaimes. If he gets his hands on you, it’s on to the next snap. He gets phenomenal drive off the line of scrimmage in the run game, and if he latches on in passing sets, you’re not getting past him.

The tough part of Van Lanen’s game is when it comes to his length and reach. It isn’t overly impressive, which is why I use the terms “if he latches on.” He can be beat by guys with longer arms, therefore his technique may have to shift a bit in pass blocking. However, he would fit very well in the Bears’ desire to run the ball much more in the future, just as they did down the stretch in 2020.