Lukas Van Ness

Iowa EDGE

Games Watched: Iowa State, Michigan, Ohio State

Summary: Lukas Van Ness is a raw but athletic edge prospect. He played primarily as a 5-T in college, where he succeeded, and sometimes played 3-T where he didn’t do as well. He plays with great pad level and does a tremendous job converting speed to power making his bullrush very effective. He places his hands well and has better than expected hip flexibility. He needs to improve technically, however, as his pass rush arsenal is lacking. Van Ness has potential as a good run defender but often struggled against stronger linemen. He also is slow to see the field at times.

Pros

  • Uses his length to his advantage against shorter armed tackles
  • Plays with great pad level
  • Converts speed to power very well
  • Gets good hand placement on the offensive lineman’s shoulders
  • Solid bend off the edge for a guy his size

Cons

  • Not much in passing rushing arsenal as of right now
  • Often late to disengage and attempt a tackle
  • Not the fastest processor

Grade: Van Ness gets an early second round grade. He has a lot of tools to become a great player but needs to improve technically to become the player he’s hyped to be.