DE Lukas Van Ness: NFL Draft scouting report

Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness was taken by the Green Bay Packers with the No. 13 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. This was the pick the Packers acquired from the New York Jets as part of the Aaron Rodgers trade earlier in the week. Van Ness improved his stock throughout draft season and will join an already strong front seven.

Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness is considered one of the top defensive prospects in the 2023 NFL Draft and is projected as a first-round pick. He’s been one of the fastest-rising prospects we’ve seen during this draft cycle and it remains to be seen how high he will be selected.

Van Ness was a two-year starter at Iowa and anchored Iowa’s fierce defensive lines. Through those two seasons, he racked up 70 tackles, 19 tackles for loss, and 13 sacks.

Lukas Van Ness: Scouting Report

Van Ness is listed at 6’5”, 272 pounds, and has the size required for an effective NFL pass rusher. He switched between defensive end and defensive tackle at various points of his career at Iowa, so that versatility could come in handy for him. Known for his power by his college teammates, he turned some heads at the NFL Scouting Combine and ran a nice 4.58 40-yard dash. According to NFL analyst Lance Zierlein, he really needs to improve his handwork and ability to shed blockers.

Mock Draft landing spots

Van Ness is being projected as a potential mid-first-round draft pick according to the NFL Mock Draft Database. He was in late second/early third territory in January according to mock experts but has quickly risen up the boards as draft season has moved along. A handful of experts like CBS’ Will Brinson have him going No. 15 to the Green Bay Packers.