The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL draft.
A priority for Brian Gutekunst this offseason is to bolster Green Bay’s pass rush. Even before Rashan Gary’s season-ending injury, Green Bay’s pass rush lacked juice.
A player that Green Bay could target in the first round is Lukas Van Ness. The Iowa edge rusher checks in at No. 8 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
Lukas Van Ness #91 isn’t even technically a starter, but his traits are impossible to miss on the Iowa tape.
Won’t be a sleeper much longer. 📈📈📈 https://t.co/mg90BKK3vH pic.twitter.com/Npcya4mvbJ
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) November 2, 2022
A three-star recruit out of Illinois, Van Ness recorded 8.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks in 2021. This past season, Van Ness recorded 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks.
“He’s someone that never actually started, but rotated all over the defensive line,” Jacob Keppen, a reporter for HawkeyesWire said. “His impact was greatly felt, even if it wasn’t shown on the stat sheet.”
Nicknamed Hercules, Van Ness lives up to the moniker. The Iowa edge rusher is a powerful specimen and has the prototypical build for an NFL edge rusher. Van Ness is chiseled and owns a devastating bull rush to blast through blockers. He utilizes his long arms to get into the chest of blockers and converts speed to power to drive them backward. He has strong, heavy hands that jolt linemen.
Lukas Van Ness (no. 91) can generate serious power as a pass rusher pic.twitter.com/lynJ0QKeDc
— Connor Rogers (@ConnorJRogers) April 16, 2023
Combined with all that power, Van Ness has a quick first step. Once he wins the corner he showcases outstanding closing speed to the quarterback.
Van Ness never started a game for the Hawkeyes. That didn’t stop him from leading the team with 46 pressures this past season. Over the past two seasons, Van Ness recorded 74 pressures (PFF) to go along with 13 sacks.
…so this Lukas Van Ness kid has some power! Looks like f'n Justin Smith here lol
Whoa.
And against Peter Skoronski – who might be the best OT in CFB this season pic.twitter.com/jLp3Bg7cVN
— Ben Fennell (@BenFennell_NFL) August 6, 2022
“I really love how he converts that initial burst of speed off the line into power,” Keppen said. “He just barrels through tackles and guards alike. His strength is fantastic along with that initial quickness. What I really really like is his energy, especially when rushing the passer. It’s sort of like Aidan Hutchinson last year, not in a pro-comp type of way, but how both rush the passer like the Tasmanian Devil.”
Van Ness sets the edge and is powerful at the point of attack. He plays with a motor that runs hot. He’s quick to find the football and has the quickness to chase down ball carriers from the backside.
“How he’ll be able to hold up against the run game on early downs, you know setting the edge, is a valid question because he never really started at Iowa,” Keppen said. “I think with his strengths he has the potential to be a monster in the run game, but it’s just that, potential.”
A team is drafting Van Ness for his ability to get after the quarterback. Another feather in his cap is he played 109 snaps on special teams this past season for the Hawkeyes and was named Big 10 Special Teams Player of the Week after he blocked two punts against Iowa State.
Fit with the Packers
With Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Justin Hollins, and Kingsley Enagbare, the Packers have an okay foundation in place.
Smith will turn 31 in November. Hollins and Enagbare are solid rotational pieces. The Packers need to get a future running mate for Gary.
Green Bay’s pass rush needs more juice. According to Pro Football Focus, the Packers generated 256 pressures last season, which ranked third among the four teams in the NFC North.
With his build and power, Van Ness could be a player that Joe Barry moves around the front seven as the Packers look to generate more pressure on the quarterback this season.
“If I’m an NFL general manager, I see a high ceiling with Van Ness,” Keppen said. “He has the potential to be a complete defensive end and someone that you can move around the line. In this league, you bank on traits, on the things you can’t necessarily teach. For as big and strong as Van Ness is, imagine him after NFL strength and conditioning. He’s a ball of clay, and with the right coaching he definitely has the potential to be a seven to 10 sack a year guy with good run defense.”
With his length (6-5), power, and age (he’ll turn 22 in July), Van Ness fits the bill of what Gutekunst is looking for in the first round. If he’s on the board when the Packers are on the clock, Gutekunst selecting Van Ness would surprise no one.
