Green Bay Packers pick Iowa’s Lukas Van Ness with 13th pick in 2023 NFL Draft

IOWA CITY — Lukas Van Ness is headed to Titletown.

The Green Bay Packers selected the Iowa defensive end with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft on Thursday.

He is the highest-picked Iowa defensive lineman during Kirk Ferentz’s 24-year tenure. The only player to be picked higher was Alex Karras when he was the 10th overall pick in the 1958 draft.

Van Ness quickly ascended in his time at Iowa, recording seven sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss as a redshirt freshman in 2021. He had 6.5 sacks and 11 tackles for loss as a sophomore last year.

While officially not a starter on Iowa’s depth chart, the Barrington, Ill., native had the third-most snaps among Iowa defensive linemen last year.

He declared for the draft after Iowa’s 21-0 win over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl, forgoing his junior and senior years in Iowa City.

“It’s always been my goal to play at the highest level,” Van Ness said Thursday night. “I went for it, and I shot for the stars, and I’m so happy I made that decision.”

Van Ness was the fifth Hawkeye in the last five years to be selected in the first round, along with Tyler Linderbaum, Tristan Wirfs, T.J. Hockenson and Noah Fant. (Jack Campbell became the sixth after the Lions selected him with the 18th pick.)

He is the first Iowa defensive lineman to be chosen in the first round since Adrian Clayborn was the 20th overall pick in 2011.

In Green Bay, Van Ness will be switching to a 3-4 defensive scheme. He had played both at defensive tackle and defensive end in Iowa’s four-man defensive front.

“I’m excited to get back and talk to the coaches and see how I fit in their defense and how they’re going to use me,” Van Ness told Green Bay reporters Thursday night.

Edge rushers will be a premium for the Packers early in 2023 as Rashan Gary continues to recover from an ACL injury.

“I can’t wait to get my career started here with Green Bay,” Van Ness said.

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