The 2023 NFL Draft will be a great event for teams to start building for their future. Here is the Lukas Van Ness 2023 NFL Draft Profile.
Position: Edge Rusher
School: Iowa
Size: 6-foot-5, 275 pounds
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
2022 Stats: 37 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks
Van Ness has been one of the biggest risers through the draft cycle after playing at Iowa. He is now in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Out of high school, Van Ness was a three-star recruit who signed with Iowa out of Illinois. He redshirted his first year on campus. In 2021, he was a rotational defensive lineman who had 33 total tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and seven sacks. Iowa went 10-4 on the season. He returned in 2022 with 37 total tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and six sacks. The Hawkeyes went 8-5 and won the Music City Bowl over Kentucky.
Following the season, Van Ness decided to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft. He is currently projected to be a first-round pick.
Van Ness has the prototypical size for an NFL edge rushers. He is 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds, which puts him above the average for the position. That size gives him excellent play strength. Not only is his size impressive, but he also has good length, which he uses to long-arm offensive linemen.
His motor is one of the best in the class. A lot of Van Ness’s production came from his continuous effort chasing the football. This helps his sack production, but he can also be seen chasing players running with the ball downfield. There will be some question marks with Van Ness, but effort won’t be one of them.
At the snap of the ball, Van Ness gets a great jump that sets him up for success the rest of the play. While he isn’t the quickest player, that timing of the snap really helps him, as he gets a step on offensive linemen. The quickness is converted into power and he uses that to bull rush opponents and push the pocket.
Van Ness is not very experienced. He entered the draft after his redshirt sophomore season and was not a full-time starter for the Hawkeyes. His lack of experience leaves some questions about whether he can produce on a full-time basis.
He needs to add more pass rush moves to his arsenal, as he is limited in that capacity. Van Ness mostly wins with a bull rush and long-arm move. That is pretty predictable, so he needs to work on his hand-fighting and add moves. This should help him be more productive as a pass rusher.
His ability to play on the interior and on the edge is nice, but it leaves a few problems. Van Ness lacks the typical athleticism and agility of an edge, but the size of an interior player. If he does get moved inside, even if it is just on pass-rushing situations, he will need to show more productivity, because he was better on the edge in college.
Projected Draft Range: First-Round Pick
Draft Grade: Second-Round Pick
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