Iowa Football 2023 NFL Draft Preview

Hawkeyes Again Develop Strong Class of Pro Prospects

Iowa's Lukas Van Ness (91) goes for a tackle against South Dakota State quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) on Sept. 3, 2022 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. (Rob Howe/HawkeyeNation.com)

Lukas Van Ness should know his NFL home Thursday night.

Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta and Riley Moss could know their new teams on Friday. Kaevon Merriweather could get a call Friday, or Saturday.

The 2023 NFL Draft could be quite favorable for the five Iowa players, who built onto the impressive resumés crafted in their college careers with solid offseason work that has caught the attention of teams.

Van Ness has been the one to draw the most attention. The defensive end did not start any of Iowa’s games, but led the Hawkeyes with 11 tackles for loss.

Campbell was the Butkus Award winner as the nation’s top linebacker and was the Big Ten’s defensive player of the year. LaPorta was the Big Ten’s tight end of the year, finishing his career as Iowa’s leader in receiving yards for a tight end. Moss was a second-team All-Big Ten pick who had 11 interceptions in his career.

A look at the draft analysis of the four players, as well as other Hawkeyes who have a chance at the NFL roster spot.

Lukas Van Ness

Find any mock draft, and you’ll find Van Ness’ name as a first-rounder.

The Athletic’s Dane Brugler has Van Ness as the No. 10 prospect overall, saying that he has “the upside of a high-end NFL starter.” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., ranked Van Ness as the No. 27 overall prospect and the No. 3 defensive end.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein wrote of Van Ness:

“Nicknamed “Hercules” by teammates, Van Ness is a well-developed defensive end with excellent lean mass and additional growth still to come. He’s a power-centric prospect with force as his modus operandi as both a run defender and pass rusher. Van Ness needs to work on hand attacks for quicker block shedding and to diversify his rush beyond bull-rush challenges. He’s taken snaps inside at Iowa but might need to keep filling out his frame before he’s ready to succeed as a run stuffer and pass rusher as a 4i in a 3-4 front. Van Ness is more of a splash player than consistent force on tape, but he possesses projectable traits that should allow for continued ascension as a pro.”

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz was impressed at how Van Ness progressed throughout his career, starting in high school.

“Obviously he's a really good football player,” Ferentz said. “First time I saw him was in the library at Barrington High School, whatever it was, four or five years ago. … He was a young kid at that point, a junior in high school, 220 (pounds), 225. Showed up here in June, came to camp. It was on a Friday night. Looked a little different. He changed, not dramatically, (but just) matured since six months prior to that.

“We ended up offering him out of the camp. Felt really good about him. He's been nothing but a great player for us. He does a great job in the classroom. He's got a tremendous future.”

Sam LaPorta

Ferentz had a cautionary tale to NFL teams about LaPorta — don’t overlook him the way Ferentz almost did.

“He is a tremendous football player. Better guy,” Ferentz said. “We underestimated him certainly in the recruiting process. We were really fortunate that we were able to get him and his mom to come up here and look. Finally they changed their mind and decided to come here.

“I've told the NFL people that will listen, Don't make the same mistake we almost made. He may not be 6-5, but he's a heck of a football player, outstanding tight end, outstanding player. Unbelievable temperament. Just loves to compete.”

Ferentz referred to LaPorta playing for the Hawkeyes in the Music City Bowl rather than sitting out to begin preparing for his NFL career.

“He's coming off an injury and plays in the bowl game,” Ferentz said. “Talk about an anti-2022 college football player. He's on the other end of the spectrum. He never even thought about not playing. We weren't sure he should. We were like, ‘Are you sure you don't want to think about this?’ That's just how he's wired. That's rare in this day and age.”

Kiper ranks LaPorta as the No. 36 prospect overall, and No. 3 at tight end. Brugler has him as the No. 64 prospect.

Zierlein’s analysis:

“Highly targeted tight end whose playing style and physical abilities land somewhere between a connected (in-line or wing) and move tight end. LaPorta has the ability to threaten zone coverage and will make the basic catches. However, he lacks the desired elusiveness and ball skills to come away with the more challenging catches. LaPorta takes on run-blocking chores with inconsistent positioning but has the potential to improve with more work in that phase of the game. His catch production is splashy, but he appears to have average-starter potential at the next level.”

Jack Campbell

Campbell’s numbers tell his story.

Campbell, a consensus All-American last season, had 271 tackles in his final two seasons, including nine for loss.

Brugler has Campbell as his No. 52 prospect overall. Kiper has Campbell as his No. 58 prospect, as does ESPN colleague Todd McShay. McShay has Campbell as the No. 2 inside linebacker in the draft, while Kiper has him third.

Zierlein’s analysis:

“Inside linebacker who is built for the box and plays with good overall physicality. Campbell’s size allows him to challenge blocks and stand his ground despite inconsistent hand usage at the take-on point. He scrapes and plugs his run fits with workmanlike dependability but lacks the short-area burst and reactive athleticism teams typically look for from NFL starters. He plays with above-average field awareness. He’s capable as a zone defender and in some matchups against in-line tight ends. What you see is what you get with Campbell, and teams will need to balance the consistency with the playmaking limitations in their evaluations.”

Riley Moss

Moss built an impressive resumé throughout his career, but it’s been his performance in draft workouts that has improved his stock.

Moss’ durability is something teams will like — he played more than 2,600 snaps in his career — and his 11 interceptions are proof of how he has grown as a defender.

Kiper has Moss ranked as his No. 3 safety overall. McShay has him as the No. 10 cornerback overall.

Zierlein’s analysis:

An instinctive cornerback with good size and play strength, Moss will need to prove he has the speed and durability needed for the next level. He has issues recovering quickly when beaten from press or at route breaks. Ballhawking instincts and soft hands are a big part of his game, as is his physicality at the catch point and as a tackler. He has CB3/4 potential in a zone-based defense, but could find reps at safety in the future if a team believes he has the frame for it.

Kaevon Merriweather

A hard-hitter at safety, Merriweather was a mainstay at the back of Iowa’s defense in the last two seasons. He had 89 tackles and four interceptions in the last two seasons, and was an All-American pick last season by four media outlets.

Kiper has Merriweather as his No. 16 safety overall, while McShay has him at No. 23. Brugler has him as the 218th overall prospect.

Zierlein’s analysis:

“Merriweather has the size and toughness of an NFL safety but needs to improve his consistency to finish tackles near the box. He could struggle to keep up with wide receivers who get matched with him in space. He might have the tools necessary to cover tight ends, but he could be at his best playing short zone as a dime safety. Overall, Merriweather has physical traits that give him a chance to find a home as a backup safety.”

Others who could get a call

Kiper ranks Monte Pottebaum as the No. 6 fullback/H-back and John Waggoner as one of the “best of the rest” at defensive end.