The Eagles’ top priority in this year’s NFL Draft is the defensive line. Who can replace when players like Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox when they call it a career? Who would replace them in the future? That defensive end could be Lukas Van Ness from the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Who Is Van Ness?
Lukas stands in at 6 ft 5 and 275 pounds. He attended Barrington High School in his Hometown of Barrington, Illinois. Lukas was rated a three-star recruit and got offers from Schools like Illinois, Minnesota, and Kansas. But instead, he took his talent to the University of Iowa.
In College at the University of Iowa, he was a redshirt his freshman season. Van Ness played both defensive positions as a defensive tackle and a defensive end. In his redshirt season, he had a career-high of 33 Tackles and a rating of 8.5 in yards loss on the opponent. He also tallied up seven sacks in his freshman season. At the end of his freshman season, he was named Freshman All-American, according to the Football Writers of America.
In his Sophomore Season, again, a redshirt was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week for blocking two kicks against their Rival Iowa State. Though he did not start in 2022, he was still on The All-American Second Team. Lukas had 38 tackles for loss and 38 tackles that season in 13 games.
Final Thoughts
Lukas Van Ness has outstanding lean muscle mass, long arm rush moves, and generates a good pocket push. He needs more work, schooling hands up as a rusher, and very average foot quickness.
The Eagles would be looking to update the defensive line. The Eagles maybe take a chance at Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness. He could hopefully fall to them in the second or the third round of this year’s NFL Draft. His versatility could be enticing for Howie.
James Scorza is a Co-Host of the Pattison Ave Phanatics on Edge of Philly Sports. James attended the Connecticut School of Broadcasting. He loves Sports and Music and has an encyclopedic knowledge of all things Philadelphia Sports. He may be young but is knowledgeable beyond his years.
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