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Lukas Van Ness selected in first round of 2023 NFL Draft
By Paul Harvey
Published:
Lukas Van Ness spent 3 seasons at Iowa after joining the Hawkeyes as a 3-star recruit in the 2020 recruiting class. He left the program after back-to-back strong seasons, including 10.5 TFL and 6 sacks during the 2022 campaign.
In the end, Van Ness did not have to wait long to hear his name called in the 2023 NFL Draft. The Green Bay Packers selected Van Ness with the No. 13 pick of the draft as one of the top edge rushers available in this draft class.
With the way Iowa handled defensive assignments, Van Ness did not start extensively during his time with Hawkeyes. Nevertheless, he was an impact force on the defensive front with 70 tackles, 19 TFL and 13 sacks across the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Van Ness’ biggest selling point is his overall athleticism and measurables at 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds. He registered a 4.58 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine to go with a 31″ vertical jump and 9’10” broad jump to register a 78 athleticism score per the NFL’s Next Gen Stats.
As for concerns about Van Ness at the next level, some point to his lack of starts as worrisome for his overall development. Van Ness also thrived in situational downs leading some to believe he is mainly a pass-rush specialist at the next level.
At the end of the day, Van Ness will still need some time to hone his abilities as a three-down defender in the NFL, but there’s no denying his top-tier talent and athletic ability heading into the league.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.