Welcome to SKOL Search!
This series will be your guide to the 2023 draft class. From scouting reports to mock drafts and exploring different scenarios, we will be covering the NFL draft and the future of the Minnesota Vikings from all angles.
The focus of the draft class in this space will be on the Vikings’ major needs at wide receiver, running back, cornerback and both interior and edge pass rusher.
The Vikings are slated to have four picks before compensatory selections are awarded and they need to make the most out of them.
Background
Lukas Van Ness
- Iowa
- Height-6050
- Weight-272 lbs
- Third-year junior
- 3-Star recruit per 247 Sports
- Stats: 70 tackles, 34 solo, 13.0 sacks, 19.0 tackles for loss, 1 passes defended
- Games watched: Northwestern 2021, Northwestern 2022, Wisconsin 2022, Ohio State 2022, Michigan 2022
Strengths
Van Ness is a very well-put-together player. He carries his weight really well and looks like a physical monster. He plays like that consistently on film.
His go-to move is speed-to-power. He uses it often and shows success in doing so. Van Ness displays great hand placement and drives the offensive lineman back.
Van Ness displays the ability to do multiple things, including flashes of different pass-rush moves. His athleticism is on display often, as he currently looks line a 97.5th percentile athlete.
Lukas Van Ness just punched his ticket into the top-20.
His nickname at Iowa was “Hercules.” Brugler says he has the explosive power of a grizzly. Jeremiah calls him a Bull in a China shop.
Kirk Ferentz started him zero times. pic.twitter.com/c3NoJqS9qX
— Thor Nystrom (@thorku) March 3, 2023
Weaknesses
Despite being a great athlete, Van Ness is very raw. He rarely goes in with any pass-rush plan outside of speed-to-power. If tackles survive the initial contact, they win the rep relatively easily. The other moves in Van Ness’ arsenal are all in the infancy of their development.
When he attacks with speed-to-power, Van Ness can lean a little too much and end up getting snatched by the offensive lineman.
Once he fully engages with the offensive tackle, Van Ness struggles to shed blocks. That was a constant across his film.
Overview
| Bend | 7.0/10 |
| Quickness/Burst | 14.1/15 |
| Finesse | 3.0/5 |
| Power | 4.5/5 |
| Counters | 7.1/10 |
| Awareness | 8.1/10 |
| Run Defense | 7.4/10 |
| Versatility | 8.2/10 |
| Size/Length | 13.8/15 |
| Tackling | 8.1/10 |
| Grade | 81.3/100 Second Round |
I understand the vision and potential with Van Ness, but there is a lot of projection with him. This isn’t a player I would be willing to gamble on until day two. Someone is likely to take him in the top 20 despite never starting a game for the Hawkeyes, and it could work out Rashan Gary has, but it’s not a bet I’m willing to take.
