Lukas Van Ness' potential with Green Bay Packers still uncertain

The Green Bay Packers bolstered their defense in the 2023 NFL Draft by taking former Iowa star Lukas Van Ness. He’s shown off some impressive skills through training camp, but it’s hard to determine his full potential until he puts on pads, according to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky.

The Packers selected Van Ness with the No. 13 overall pick in the draft as they tried to improve their defense. He put up impressive numbers at Iowa with 37 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks last season despite not playing in a starting role. He also impressed at the NFL scouting combine, running a 4.64 40-yard dash as one of the top EDGE rushers in the event.

But Van Ness’ production on the field will be easier to figure out once training camp begins. Demovsky said he’s opening some eyes through non-contact practices and has gotten some run with the top units as Rashan Gary works his way back. However, it’s still hard to tell where exactly Van Ness fits into the scheme.

“Van Ness has shown both power and speed as a pass-rusher, but it’s nearly impossible to know if that will translate from non-padded and supposedly non-contact practices into the real thing,” Demovsky wrote. “But with Rashan Gary still rehabbing last season’s knee injury, Van Ness has gotten plenty of reps with the No. 1 and No. 2 defensive fronts.”

How Lukas Van Ness quietly became one of the top defensive players in the 2023 NFL Draft

Van Ness seemed to fly under the radar because he wasn’t a regular starter at Iowa, and that led to some criticism from ESPN analyst Todd McShay. He called out the Hawkeyes for not capitalizing on Van Ness’ skillset in Phil Parker’s defense, especially considering he can play multiple positions on that side of the ball.

“Here’s a player I think is underrated in this class, Lukas Van Ness, defensive end from Iowa,” McShay said. “Never started; what are we doing, Iowa? But he had, in the last two years, 14 sacks. And you can play him at EDGE … or you can play him inside as a three technique, which I actually thought he was more productive rushing the quarterback.”

It’s not the first time Van Ness has seemingly come out of nowhere. He wasn’t a highly rated recruit, either, out of Barrington (IL). He was a three-star prospect and the No. 982 overall recruit in the nation from the 2020 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.