They call him “Hercules," but the Green Bay Packers are staking their future that this hero's story isn't a tragic one. Like the infamous Greek hero who wrestled snakes in his crib and put lions in headlocks, Lukas Van Ness boasts impressive strength and tenacity.

The 21-year-old from Barrington, IL, cut his teeth on the hockey rink before discovering football in eighth grade. Playing both sides of the ball in high school, Van Ness was a standout guard and defensive end, earning the 2019 Conference Defensive Player of the Year, all while lettering in hockey as well.

Growing up in the Chicago suburbs, Van Ness was a diehard Hawkeyes and Bears fan, and while he got to play for his dream college, he will don the uniform of a NFC North rival.

The Packers are getting a special player in Van Ness. The former redshirt sophomore is young and has plenty of room to grow as a football player. His hockey background certainly carries over in his ability to bend and change direction, but it also helped him develop a gritty high-effort playing style, which will bring a much-needed edge to the Packers defense.

And while he didn't start a game in college, something some will irrationally hold against him, his physical tools really pop on tape. After watching nearly every snap he played in 2022 (I am only missing the Northwestern and Illinois games), here are my thoughts on what Van Ness brings to the Packers as their first round pick.

College Production

While never a “starter” at Iowa, Van Ness was highly productive as a rotational defensive lineman. He played both at end and defensive tackle, tallying 71 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, and 74 quarterback pressures in two seasons (not including his redshirt freshman year). Van Ness also blocked two punts, both coming against state rival Iowa State in Week #2 of the 2022 season. However, his most dominant performance came the following week against Nevada, where Van Ness recorded eight tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks.

Despite the solid production, some of Van Ness’s best plays don’t show up on the stat sheet. His numerous pressures and quarterback hits may not make headlines or show up in the box score, but they are incredibly impactful plays, nonetheless. See his tape against Rutgers in Week #4 of the 2022 season for a prime example of this (See the clip below to watch this play). Midway through the first quarter, Van Ness lays out the Rutgers quarterback on a DT twist, which leads to his teammate Cooper DeJean picking off the pass and taking it to the house. And there are numerous plays like this when going through Van Ness’s film.

One other encouraging note in regards to production, Van Ness showed up and made plays against some of the top offensive linemen in college football last season. He faced Paris Johnson Jr., Dawand Jones, Peter Skoronski, and Joe Tippmann, who are all top selections in the NFL draft. And while it is a bit hyperbolic to say he dominated in these performances, he certainly won on some of the reps. This is a promising sign for a 21-year-old redshirt sophomore with still a lot of room to grow.

Athletic Testing

It may be an understatement to say Van Ness is an athletic freak. It is easy to throw this label around with so many players coming out of college, but it is hard to argue the moniker doesn’t fit with the 6-5, 272-pound Iowa defensive end.

Van Ness is not only in the 71% in height, 70% in weight for the position and 97% in hand size, but he was also the 10^th fastest defensive end at the NFL Combine, running a 4.58 in the forty. Even more impressively, Van Ness was only one of two defensive linemen that ran a sub-4.60 that weighed over 270 lbs. His 1.57 10-yard split also shows how explosive he is out of his stance.

In addition to showing excellent speed and burst, Van Ness also recorded the second fasted three-cone (7.02) and short shuttle (4.32) among defensive linemen at the combine, only finishing behind Jose Ramirez, who tested 30 lbs. lighter than Van Ness. These testing numbers just showcase how agile of an athlete Van Ness is, but also how underrated his bend is off the edge.

The biggest red flags with Van Ness as an athlete are his lower body explosive numbers. His vertical and broad jump finished in the middle of the pack among defensive ends at the combine. Granted, Van Ness was one of the heavier defensive ends testing, but these numbers still aren’t elite in the very least.

His bench press was also very pedestrian (17 reps) for a player of his size, finishing second-to-last at the position. The poor bench performance is surprising considering on tape he shows excellent power and play strength.

As an athlete, MockDraftable compares Van Ness to Preston Smith (78.5% match), Robert Quinn (74.5% match), and Cameron Jordan (74.4% match). Van Ness’s pro comparisons for Relative Athlete Score are Ziggy Ansah, Trey Hendrickson, and Travon Walker.

Traits to Love and What Van Ness Brings to the Packers

1. Explosive First Step -- Van Ness explodes out of his stance, showing a quick first step and impressive acceleration off the edge. This really gives him an advantage as a pass rusher because he puts offensive tackles back on their heels, allowing him to get his hands in their chest and collapse the pocket. This explosiveness off the edge also allows him to convert speed to power, as it is evident in this clip below from the Michigan game. He beats Ryan Hayes on this rep, a player that will be on an NFL team this upcoming season. Van Ness's quick getoff forces Hayes to overset as he pass drops, surrendering his inside shoulder to Van Ness, who takes advantage of this opening to pressure the quarterback, causing the throw to be rushed.

2. Impressive Power -- We can throw the bench press reps out the window, Van Ness is a powerful dude. His length and 34-inch arms, allow him to get his hands on lineman and drive them back. He also plays with tremendous leverage for a tall guy, and this allows him to get under the pads of blockers and win with momentum. In this next clip, Van Ness is lined up at defensive tackle. His power out of his stance is impressive, but he also demonstrates strong hands with a violent initial punch. This is one of Van Ness's super powers. He gets his hands in the lineman's chest, knocks him back on his heels, and then steam rolls him to get after the quarterback. It is clear in this clip how, again, this play doesn't show up in the stat sheet, but it forces the quarterback to get rid of the ball quickly and settle for a short checkdown throw.

3. Nonstop Motor -- Van Ness's motor is tremendous, which allows him to make plays from the backside and get second effort production. Several of his sacks in his collegiate career were on his second or third effort as the quarterback was scrambling and breaking the pocket. However, these next two clips from the Ohio State and Nevada game show the kind of relentless pursuit he plays with against the run. In the Ohio State clip, Van Ness runs down the ball carrier from the backside of the play. Many defensive ends away from the action would let up and stop pursuing the ball carrier once the runner breaks the line of scrimmage. However, even though it is a decent gain for the Buckeyes, the play really highlights how Van Ness plays to the whistle--something coaches love but don't always get from players. The Nevada clip will reiterate this point, but instead of him working from the backside, it shows him playing the run as an interior defender and then working his way out to the flat to get in on the stop.

4. Stout on the Edge vs. Run -- Even though Van Ness will line up inside at times, this really isn't his strength as a run defender. It doesn't seem like Green Bay will use him in this function either except for passing downs when they want him to rush the passer. Van Ness could be a liability against the run as a down lineman. However, playing on the edge, he is as stout as they come against the run. This is something he brings to the Packers defense that they really need with Rashan Gary injured and sidelined for the beginning of the season. The Packers need another run defender on the edge opposite Preston Smith, and they now have it with Van Ness. In the following Wisconsin clip, Van Ness does a great job using his strong punch to knock the left tackle back on his heels. He then fills the gap and makes the stop. And then in the Purdue clip, Van Ness is lined up over the tight end on the strongside of the play. The tight end tries to block down as the guards pull for an outside sweep, but watch how Van Ness uses his strength and length to hold the edge and stretch the play out to prevent it from developing.

5. Offers Position Versatility -- It was difficult to know what clips to play when trying to showcase Van Ness's position versatility. He can line up in a variety of spots on the defensive front. He can play with his hand in the dirt as a traditional defensive end, line up inside as a three-technique or nose, or he can play in a two-point stance as a pass rushing outside linebacker, which will most likely be his primarily role with the Packers. These next two clips are both from his Iowa State game. The first one shows him lined up as a defensive tackle. He uses his quickness off the snap to quickly penetrate the line of scrimmage and then uses his strength to toss the guard aside as he makes the stop in the backfield. The second clip, which was earlier in the game, shows him rushing off the edge and using his long arms to attack the outside shoulder of the right tackle as he runs the hoop and pressures the quarterback.

Areas of Improvement for the Next Level

1. Needs to Play Under Control -- Every prospect has areas they need to improve, and even first-round picks with high upside have things to work on as they enter the NFL. One of the big ones with Van Ness is, at times, he needs to play with better control and discipline. It is easy to love the high effort and violence he plays the game with, but this can also be to his detriment at times if it isn't balanced with control and technique. This first clip against Rutgers shows Van Ness getting too over-eager with his initial punch as he comes out of his stance. This leads to him over-extending himself and losing his footing, which takes himself out of the play. The second clip from the Michigan game shows Van Ness getting a bit flat-footed against the run as he plays too upright. The right tackle quickly takes advantage of this and drives him into the ground. Again, these are simple technique adjustments. Van Ness needs to keep some knee bend and fire his feet once he locks horns with the offensive lineman to prevent this from happening.

2. Needs to Develop a Second Pass Rush Move -- This is a big one if Van Ness is going to develop into an impact player at the next level. Like Rashan Gary coming out of college, Van Ness possesses an effective bull rush, but he needs to develop other plans of action when rushing the passer to provide variance. He won't be able to run over every lineman in the NFL. Currently, he has very few pass rush moves in his arsenal. However, these are the things coaches can develop in his game. His bull rush is fantastic, and he shows good bend off the edge. However, he needs to keep working on improving his hands to shed blocks or rip past offensive lineman. Here is a clip of Van Ness going against Paris Johnson. It is clear in this play that Van Ness lacks a backup plan once his initial bull rush is ineffective. A stalemate is always a win for the offensive lineman.

Question Marks Going Into the NFL?

1. Is the Limited Experience a Concern? -- Many will question the Packers using the 13th overall pick on a player with limited college experience. As it has been well discussed in various media outlets, Van Ness never started a game in college and he exited Iowa as a redshirt sophomore. Yes, Van Ness is young. However, to assume he's inexperience because he didn't start a game is a bit of an oversight. Iowa's program values seniors, and Van Ness took a backseat to fifth-year seniors, Joe Evans and John Waggoner, in the starting lineup. In fact, Van Ness only played a handful of snaps in the first half of Iowa's bowl game against Kentucky for this very reason. On tape, it is clear Van Ness is by far and away the Hawkeyes' best defensive player, but Iowa has a certain way of doing things. They honor their senior players, and it's easy to respect that. Evans and Waggoner, despite not being NFL prospects, were given the snaps in the first series of every game. However, Van Ness quickly saw the field and played just as many snaps as the starters. And what is really telling is Van Ness was on the field in the most crucial parts of games. He was one of their go-to third down rushers. He also played at the end of games if the scores were close. When South Dakota State was down 7-3 driving late in the fourth quarter in Week #1, it was Van Ness on the field to help stop them and seal the win for Iowa. When games were out of hand, like when Iowa was up  27-0 against Nevada in the fourth quarter, the Hawkeyes sidelined their starters, and Van Ness was among them. If they didn't believe he was one of their best players, they would have been playing him in garbage time. Having said all of this, Van Ness is still young and has a lot to learn. It will be important to be patient with him as he adapts to the NFL game, but there isn't any reason to think he is greener than any other first-round pick the Packers have made in recent years.

2. Can He Develop as a Complete Player at OLB? -- Van Ness primarily played with his hand in the dirt as a 4-3 defensive end. And while there will certainly be an adjustment period as he learns to play off the edge in a two-point stance, Van Ness has some reps on tape where he is standing up and rushing the passer. There were even a handful of times he dropped in coverage and was asked to play in space, similar to what Green Bay has asked from Preston Smith. Look to the Michigan and Kentucky games for examples of this. Van Ness still looks a bit stiff dropping in coverage, but it is something he can do if the Packers utilize him occasionally in this function. Despite these being areas of his game that could use development, the primary functions of the outside linebacker position in Joe Barry's defense, Van Ness can already check off the list---he can hold the edge against the run, he can provide pressure as a pass rusher, and he can make plays in pursuit as a backside defender.

Van Ness Film: Games vs. Ohio St, Michigan, and Purdue