The Green Bay Packers took Lukas Van Ness with their first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. So far, his career has not gotten off to a quick start. After a very promising first game, Van Ness has had minimal impact. Ryan Fowler of Bleacher Report gave grades for every first-round pick and gave Van Ness a failing grade.
Green Bay Packers Lukas Van Ness Midseason Report Card
Part of the issue for Van Ness has been playing time. Preston Smith and Rashan Gary are the clear starters with second-year player Kingsley Enagbare getting a lot of reps as well. However, Van Ness has only been able to get two pressures since week 1. Not what you want to see out of your first-round pick. Fowler gave Van Ness a “D” saying, “His production simply hasn’t been there.” While this season hasn’t been great, Packers fans know not to judge a first-round pick by his rookie season.
We’ve Seen This Before
21 tackles, 2 sacks, 3 tackles for loss, and 3 QB hits. Those were the rookie stats of Rashan Gary. Now, Gary is one of the premiere edge rushers in the league. The hope is that Van Ness has a similar trajectory. His physical tools have been on display at times and his playing time could also increase next season. It is unclear whether the Packers will keep the veteran Smith on the roster. If he isn’t, Van Ness could get more opportunities which would be good for him.
At this point, there is no need to panic about the first-round pick. The Packers don’t need him to be good now. If he can be dominant in a couple of years, the Packers pass rush could be one of the most devastating in the league.
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