Lukas Van Ness checks all boxes Packers look for at edge rusher

There have been a few occasions during Brian Gutekunst’s tenure as GM that he has thrown us some curveballs in the first round. However, the Green Bay Packers selecting Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness was not one of those instances.

Prior to the NFL Combine taking place, I went through six positions of need and picked one player at each to keep your eyes on. When I arrived at edge rusher, I chose Van Ness. When I compiled my shortlist of three first round prospects to keep your eyes on for Green Bay, Van Ness was again one of them.

So the Packers taking him at pick 13 shouldn’t come as a surprise—he checks just about every box that they typically look for.

For starters, he plays a premier position as an edge rusher, and one where the Packers have to upgrade their rotation. This is a unit that struggled to create consistent pressure last season, especially without Rashan Gary during the second half of the year, and a group that didn’t hold up very well against the run.

From a size and weight standpoint, Van Ness again checks those boxes, measuring in at 6’5” – 265 pounds. The Packers often covet big-bodied edge rushers. At the start of the 2022 season, Jonathan Garvin at 257 pounds was the lightest on the roster, with Preston Smith listed at 265 and Rashan Gary at 277. This wasn’t something that was new to last season either, but a trend that extends back to the days when Ted Thompson was in charge.

"“Versatility is one,” said Brian Gutekunst when discussing why the Packers prefer big edge rushers. “Because when you’re a little lighter it’s tougher to go inside. Of course setting edges on first and second downs is important to us. I think it’s just how we want to be built. His versatility jumps out but also the explosive nature in which he rushes the passer.”"

Van Ness is also an elite athlete within his position group, posting a Relative Athletic Score (RAS) of 9.39.  Out of the six non-quarterback selections made by Gutekunst in round one, only Darnell Savage has posted a RAS below 9.0, including a 7.02-second three-cone, an important on field drill for the Packers when evaluating the edge rusher position. He’s also just 21 years old, which does matter to Green Bay and other NFL teams. Devonte Wyatt was the only of Gutekunst’s seven total first round picks to be over 22 years old.

Lastly, Van Ness is versatile. He started his career at Iowa as an interior defender before spending the majority of his snaps in 2022 at edge rusher, where he logged 43 pressures and eight sacks. Out of 200 edge rushers, Van Ness ranked 30th in PFF’s run defense grade and 11th in pass rush productivity. In recent years, the Packers have often moved Rashan Gary and Za’Darius Smith inside when the offense is in obvious passing situations.

"“He’s a very versatile player, which was important to us,” said Gutekunst. “He’s a different player than Z was but he is going to be able to do a lot of the same things as far as we used to move Z inside and rushing. I think his best football is ahead of him. He’s a guy that’s going to move inside and out.”"

Like just about all rookie pass rushers, Van Ness has room to grow, and he saw playing time during only two seasons at Iowa after red-shirting his first year. Van Ness was never officially a defensive starter either, although he did play nearly 1,000 snaps in 2021 and 2022, and as Gutekunst put it, he has a “really big upside.”

Unlike Gary, who played just 256 snaps during his rookie season as he was behind the recently signed Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith on the depth chart, Gutekunst expects Van Ness to play right away and to help out this defense immediately. As of now, we don’t know when Gary will return, and as alluded to, the back-end of the Packers edge rusher rotation can be upgraded—not to mention that Van Ness’ ability to play inside could give him more opportunities as well.

"“I put on 60 pounds my freshman year and by my sophomore year, they kicked me inside to defensive tackle, which was super beneficial for my development as a player,” said Van Ness. “I learned how to play inside, which is a faster game, with your pad level, your balance. I just had to learn a physical brand of football. I then bumped back outside this year. I grew up playing defensive end, that’s where I feel comfortable, that’s where I feel like I can use my tools and excel. They bumped me outside and that’s where I use my length, use my power, and can really make an impact to help the football team win.”"