2023 Green Bay Packers Round 1 Number 13 DE Lukas Van Ness Iowa

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Lukas Van Ness

Player Bio

Van Ness earned first-team all-state notice his senior year at Barrington High School in Illinois before signing with the Hawkeyes for the 2020 season. He redshirted as a true freshman but made an impression the following fall, recording 33 tackles, 8.5 for loss, with a team-high seven sacks in 14 appearances to earn Freshman All-American notice. Van Ness did not start any contests in 2022, either, but still garnered second-team All-Big Ten accolades after leading the Hawkeyes with 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks among his 38 tackles in 13 games played. He also tied for sixth nationally with two blocked kicks. -- by Chad Reuter

Overview

Nicknamed “Hercules” by teammates, Van Ness is a well-developed defensive end with excellent lean mass and additional growth still to come. He’s a power-centric prospect with force as his modus operandi as both a run defender and pass rusher. Van Ness needs to work on hand attacks for quicker block shedding and to diversify his rush beyond bull-rush challenges. He’s taken snaps inside at Iowa but might need to keep filling out his frame before he’s ready to succeed as a run stuffer and pass rusher as a 4i in a 3-4 front. Van Ness is more of a splash player than consistent force on tape, but he possesses projectable traits that should allow for continued ascension as a pro.

Strengths

Prototypical frame with outstanding lean muscle mass.
Fires out of stance, capturing neutral zone quickly.
Play strength to anchor and press blocker as two-gapper.
Power in hips to battle through angle blocks.
Sees runner and disengages to tackle with timing.
Wide alignment allows creation of bull-rush momentum.
Long-arm rush move generates good pocket push.
Keeps pushing forward with secondary rush effort.
Agility helps to corral mobile quarterbacks.

Weaknesses

Forward lean can be countered by blockers.
Inconsistent use of hands to control and shed quickly.
Needs more work schooling up hands as a rusher.
Hasn’t learned to transition from bull rusher into closer.
Very average foot quickness for inside rush moves.
Takes too long activating change of direction as twister.
Lacked effectiveness as interior rusher.

4/26/234:33 PM

Original Post

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BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

I'm not disappointed

4/27/238:45 PM

ilcuquiTHE F*** WITH FASHION

From The Ringer:

SHADES OF

TREY HENDRICKSON

BIG, STRONG, AND LONG; AN ASCENDING PASS-RUSHERwith positional versatility and four-down value.

Pro-Ready Frame
Pass-Rush Talent
Bulldozer Power

SCOUTING REPORT BY DANNY KELLY

Van Ness is a stout, prototypically built defensive lineman with good length, power, and burst. A former three-star prospect out of Barrington, Illinois, he was a two-year contributor for Iowa. Despite not starting a game for the Hawkeyes, he racked up 13.0 sacks and 19.0 tackles for a loss in 26 games while playing all over the defensive line. He got more looks as an edge defender in 2022, collecting 46 total pressures on the season (per PFF, tied for 37th), tallying 37 of those pressures against true pass sets (offensive plays that don’t include play-action, screens, rollouts, or quick-passes), fourth-most among edge players nationwide. He was a key special teams player for the Hawkeyes, too, and blocked two punts against Iowa State.

Van Ness is a load to handle for offensive lineman, combining top-tier size, length, and strength. He has a quick first step and uses that as the foundation of his bull-rush. He’s a relentless hand-fighter and has a heavy punch, landing blows with a heavy thud as he locks his arms out to forklift offensive lineman off their spot. He uprooted and carried Paris Johnson Jr. into C.J. Stroud when the team played Ohio State. He gives maximum effort in his rush and is always working to gain leverage and extricate himself from blocks. He has a strong upper body and plenty of torque to rip and wrench opponents out of the hole or off his feet. He has a forceful push-pull move. As a run defender, he plays with excellent leverage and can really grow roots on the edge. He uncoils out of a four-point stance when rushing inside and shows the ability to push interior linemen onto their heels, running his feet to collapse the pocket.

Van Ness needs to better balance aggressiveness with gap integrity. He’ll occasionally shoot into the inside gap and give up the edge. He’s stiff in space and looks much more comfortable moving forward than dropping back. He’s still inexperienced and raw. He was never even a starter for Iowa.

WHY HE COULD RISE

Van Ness has a prototypical frame and shows good burst and flexibility; he’s still ascending and can contribute on all four downs.

WHY HE COULD FALL

He’s raw; he was never a starter for Iowa and never posted eye-popping sack numbers.

4/27/238:46 PM

IowacheeseKeen Insight

F Yea. Jack Campbell next. Then LaPorta and Moss

4/27/238:46 PM

packerboiI lick rainbows

@Boris posted:
I'm not disappointed

For the love of God, with this many 1st round picks that Dingle Barry now has on that defense, a monkey should be able to coordinate that unit to a top 10 defense.

I have no issue with the pick. If Gary gets back to his pre-ACL self, him and Van Ness should reek havoc for years in Green and Gold.

4/27/238:50 PM

BrakMember

Make up pick to get Tschmack to shut the fuck up about Watt.

4/27/238:50 PM

HerschelMember

The Day Queen Sued Vanilla Ice - Queen Forever

4/27/238:50 PM

13XMember

Solid Pick. Hopefully they can keep him from Barry ruining his future....

4/27/238:50 PM

HerschelMember

Homerun swing, strikout potential, kind of a Gutekunst special.

4/27/238:51 PM

Maxi54Member

Edge doesn't surprise me, but the selection of Van Ness does a little bit. Cheers to a good Hawk and hopefully great Packer. Welcome aboard Lucas!

4/27/238:52 PM

SufferinginmnMember

Not that ot matters but why was he never a starter at iowa?

4/27/238:52 PM

13XMember

@packerboi posted:
For the love of God, with this many 1st round picks that Dingle Barry now has on that defense, a monkey should be able to coordinate that unit to a top 10 defense.
I have no issue with the pick. If Gary gets back to his pre-ACL self, him and Van Ness should reek havoc for years in Green and Gold.

All will be well as soon as MLF fires Barry.

4/27/238:52 PM

BrainDedMember

He would have been there at 15. Don’t get it.

4/27/238:53 PM

PackidermMember

Some nice cornfeds in that family!

4/27/238:54 PM

Maxi54Member

Phil Parker is a little unconventional with how he rotates his D-Line sometimes but he's a hell of a coach and gets great results. I don't remember for sure, but I think he did the same thing with E.J. Epenesa who is turning into a darn good player for the Bills.

4/27/238:56 PM

HerschelMember

@Sufferinginmn posted:
Not that ot matters but why was he never a starter at iowa?

Because he wasn't that good.

Weird Frerentz thing. They start their upper classmen, but if an underclassman is better they rotate in early and often.

4/27/238:56 PM

PackerPatrickMember

@Sufferinginmn posted:
Not that ot matters but why was he never a starter at iowa?

Because (from what I heard) Iowa preferred to start the older guys. I see upside here. He might have been available at #15 but with the trade frenzy going on, who know?

4/27/238:59 PM

GBFanForLifeLarge Member

@BrainDed posted:
He would have been there at 15. Don’t get it.

So you're saying they shouldn't have traded Rodgers?

4/27/238:59 PM

BenzeneMember

@BrainDed posted:
He would have been there at 15. Don’t get it.

Maybe they were targeting another player. But when he was picked, they had to go to plan B.

4/27/239:01 PM

BrakMember

Name one good dutch player besides van brocklin.

4/27/239:02 PM

fightphoe93Member

If he’s the next Trey Hendrickson, he’d be a terrific asset.

That said, as PackerBoi pointed out, Joe Barry could take the personnel from the ‘85 Bears D and turn them into softies.

4/27/239:04 PM

packerboiI lick rainbows

9️⃣0️⃣ @lukas_vanness #PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/sCIo6PlZjD
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 28, 2023

4/27/239:05 PM

ammoCheese Master

ESPN says he never started a game. SI calls him a 2 season starter. Somebody ain't telling the truth.

4/27/239:05 PM

packerboiI lick rainbows

I'll be thrilled if he's as good as the last notable guy to wear that number.

4/27/239:06 PM

TschmackMember

Totally fine with this pick and GB has had some success with Iowa defensive players. You know he will work his ass off and set the tone.

And no, it doesn’t make up for passing on a certain OLB from the great state of WI. If Van Ness is 2/3 the player that T J W was it’ll be a good pick. Despite this guy being taken a lot sooner. People ramble on about the Mandarich debacle? Hell no. The biggest miss in the last 30 or so years is not taking a HOF pass rush guy like him in the late 1st round. Thanks incapacitated Ted. Which means fuck you Russ Ball draft imposter.

4/27/239:06 PM

fightphoe93Member

@Iowacheese posted:
F Yea. Jack Campbell next. Then LaPorta and Moss

I did chuckle when I saw this but all those guys can play and would help.

4/27/239:06 PM

ammoCheese Master

@Brak posted:
Name one good dutch player besides van brocklin.

Matt Vanden Boom?

4/27/239:07 PM

packerboiI lick rainbows

During the pre-draft process Lukas Van Ness worked out with Kenny Clark's trainer @DlineCoachEd who was RAVING about LVN this spring.
— Peter Bukowski (@Peter_Bukowski) April 28, 2023

4/27/239:08 PM

PackLandVAMember

Rashan Gary didn't start a game his rookie season but played in all 16 games. He logged less than 25% of the defensive snaps. I see a similar path for Hercules his rookie season.

4/27/239:09 PM

Pikes PeakMember

@Brak posted:
Name one good dutch player besides van brocklin.

Dutch Clark

4/27/239:10 PM

BorisPerson Man Camera Dildo Shop - NFLFU®

@BrainDed posted:
He would have been there at 15. Don’t get it.

Yeah.....they should've traded down with the Jets and picked up another 4th. 🤣😆

4/27/239:10 PM

Blair KielGOOD OL' FAKE BLAIR KIEL - My Hood? nice Henry. Fuck You!

@Brak posted:
Name one good dutch player besides van brocklin.

Johan Cruyff, dolt.

4/27/239:11 PM

PackerPatrickMember

RAS 9.39 and is a younger player.

4/27/239:12 PM

R MaNNothing in particular

box checked with Van Ness

4/27/239:16 PM

BrakMember

@Blair Kiel posted:
Johan Cruyff, dolt.

Um dolt isn't a dutch surname

Van Idiot.

4/27/239:18 PM

vitafloMember

@BrainDed posted:
He would have been there at 15. Don’t get it.

Pretty sure the Pats would have taken him. They immediately traded with Pitt after we picked him.

4/27/239:20 PM

packerboiI lick rainbows

Lukas Van Ness is rattling off Preston Smith's sack numbers from last year on this conference call.
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 28, 2023

4/27/239:21 PM