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…
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