Three Badgers chosen in NFL Draft

May 1, 2021
|In Badgers
|By Zach Heilprin

For the first time since 1992 the Wisconsin football team didn’t have anyone taken in the first four rounds of the NFL Draft, but the first came off the board soon after.

Defensive lineman Isaiahh Loudermilk was taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with pick No. 156 in the fifth round.

A 3-year starter for the Badgers, Loudermilk becomes the first UW defensive lineman to be drafted since 2014 and just the third since 2011. The 6-foot-7 Loudermilk joins former teammate T.J. Watt in Pittsburgh, along with another former UW player in fullback Derek Watt. He’s the 13th former Badgers player taken by the Steelers.

A round later two more Badgers got the call. First to go was cornerback Rachad Wildgoose to the Buffalo Bills. Wildgoose left school early after playing in just two games his junior year due to injury. One of the most versatile players in Wisconsin’s secondary, Wildgoose ran a 4.41 40-yard dash at UW’s pro day.

He’s the first Badgers defensive back taken since 2018 when Nick Nelson went to the Raiders in the second round.

One pick later it was offensive lineman Cole Van Lanen’s turn. He’ll be staying close to home — very close — as the Green Bay area native got picked by the Packers. A three-year contributor for the Badgers and a two-year starter, Van Lanen will likely work at guard and tackle with Green Bay.

He’s the first Wisconsin player to be drafted by the Packers since Vince Biegel in 2017 and the 40th overall.

Several more players were picked up as undrafted free agents, including fullback Mason Stokke (Carolina Panthers), Garrett Groshek (Las Vegas Raiders), Eric Burrell (New Orleans Saints) and Jon Dietzen (Green Bay Packers).