Lukas Van Ness is the newest member of the Green Bay Packers organization. GM Brian Gutekunst prioritized the defense yet again and took the top-edge prospect out of the University of Iowa. While fans seem split, many analysts are praising the pick. Dane Bugler of NFLDraftScout.com and CBS Sports loved the pick and compared Lukas Van Ness to a grizzly bear.
Packers edge rusher Lukas Van Ness is 21 years old and 6-foot-5, 272 pounds.
Dane Brugler: "He is an ascending player and competes like a grizzly bear with his fierce power and explosive twitch. He has the upside of an impactful NFL starter with inside/outside versatility."
— Matt Schneidman (@mattschneidman) April 28, 2023
Lukas Van Ness Compared To A Grizzly Bear
Van Ness is a huge dude. He is 6-foot-5 and 272 pounds but still has elite athleticism. His tape shows him throwing some of the top offensive line prospects around like it is nothing. Brugler likes what he sees.
“He is an ascending player and competes like a grizzly bear with his fierce power and explosive twitch. He has the upside of an impactful NFL starter with inside/outside versatility.”
This is the type of motor that you want to see out of a player coming into your organization. Fierce power and explosive twitch are exactly what you want out of an edge prospect. He feels very similar to the Rashan Gary pick and that has worked out well for the Packers.
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Lethal Pass Rush
I for one am pretty excited to see the Packers pass rush this season. Hopefully, Gary will be back soon from this ACL injury. Preston Smith brings some veteran leadership and Van Ness’ presence should take some of the pressure off Smith having to play every snap. Second-year player Kingsley Enagbare is also in the mix and provides some much-needed depth. This has the potential to be one of the most lethal pass rushes in the league. Most teams can find a way to stop one player but stopping two is nearly impossible.
While there will always be doubters, I’ve seen more analysts give positive reports on Lukas Van Ness and his fit with the Packers. Hopefully, the team can develop him and he and Gary turn into one of the best duos in the league.
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