2023 NFL Draft: Could Lukas Van Ness Be a Jaguars' Option at No. 24?

After a strong showing at the combine, could Lukas Van Ness be an option for the Jaguars in the first round?

The 2023 NFL Draft season is upon us.

Among the 32 teams building their rosters to compete for the next Lombardi Trophy is the Jacksonville Jaguars, who hold nine picks in this season’s draft -- including the No. 24 overall pick.

As we march closer and closer to April’s draft, we will look at individual draft prospects and how they would potentially fit with the Jaguars. Instead of looking at any negatives, we are going to look at what the players do well and if they could match what the Jaguars need at the specific role or position.

Overview

An Illinois native, Van Ness was ranked a three-star recruit by 247Sports as a member of the 2020 recruiting class. Van Ness was ranked the No. 1,063 recruit in the country, the No. 52 strong side defensive end, and the No. 21 recruit in his state. 

Van Ness was a popular recruit in terms of volume of scholarship offers, ultimately picking up 29 offers before deciding on Iowa. Van Ness committed to the Hawkeyes over offers from programs such as Air Force, Army, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State, Minnesota, and Wyoming.

Van Ness was redshirted in 2020 but began to see snaps at defensive tackle during the 2021 season, recording seven sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss. He saw his role increase in 2022 as he moved to edge rusher, recording six sacks and 10.5 tackles for loss and earning second-team All-Conference honors.

What Lukas Van Ness Does Well

The first thing that stands out about Van Ness' is simple: power. He plays exactly like one would imagine a hulking Iowa defensive lineman would, frequently showing the power to forklift offensive lineman in the passing and running game. Despite being a taller defensive lineman, Van Ness plays with excellent leverage, attacking offensive linemen with explosive strength and uprooting them on contact. 

Van Ness' go-to pass-rush move is a bull-rush, along with a long-arm move that shows off his 34-inch arms and massive wingspan. He does a great job of delivering a powerful joly on contact and never stops moving his feet, driving even the largest and most powerful offensive tackles back. Van Ness knows that his bread-and-butter are his length and his power, and he rushes with a great sense of awareness of what works. 

As a run defender, Van Ness shows good eyes and recognition to blocks developing in front of him. Whether lined up inside or outside, he did a great job of identifying ball carriers and blocking schemes, frequently using his understanding and instincts to put himself in the right position to make a tackle for loss. Combine all of this with his natural power and athleticism in space, and Van Ness has a lot to offer as a run defender. 

How Lukas Van Ness Would Fit With the Jaguars

Considering the Jaguars are just a few days removed from losing a versatile pass-rusher in Arden Key, there are a lot of reasons for the Jaguars to be interested in a young, athletic pass-rusher like Van Ness who could line up all over the formation. Key was so valuable to the Jaguars because he could bring them efficient rushes from the edge and when lined up over guards as an interior pass-rusher in sub-packages, which is exactly what Van Ness could do.

While Van Ness is obviously built significantly differently than Key, he projects as more of an edge rusher than an every-down interior defender, just as Key did. With that said, Van Ness has already shown he can spend extensive snaps inside, playing primarily as a three-technique in 2021. While his frame suggests he is an edge rusher at the next level, Van Ness was still disruptive inside and even showed the ability to anchor against the run. 

For a Jaguars team that has lost one inside/outside pass-rusher this offseason and could lose another in free-agent Dawuane Smoot, Van Ness makes sense. He has the traits the Jaguars like in pass-rushers and could help fill in at multiple spots, which is what the Jaguars' defense needs in whatever pass-rusher they select. Add in his elite run defense and strong measurables, and Van Ness is a fit. 

Verdict

Just judging off Van Ness' tape and his profile as a prospect, it is hard to make a case for him as a bonafide first-rounder. Even in a weak draft class like this year's, he would probably be a reach in terms of pure value at No. 24 overall. That isn't to say he shouldn't be an option, but he is far from a slam-dunk scenario.

Van Ness is an interesting case because he seems to have all of the traits the Jaguars want in a pass-rusher. He is long, explosive, flexible, quick for a bigger pass-rusher, plays with power, and can rush inside and outside. With that said, it feels like he is still a ways away from developing his potential as a pass-rusher, and the Jaguars need a player who can get after the quarterback from Day 1. 

In short, expect for Van Ness to be considered if he is on the board. There are a lot of red flags attached, but he does seem like the Jaguars' type. 

For all of our 2023 NFL Draft profiles, click below.

• CB Kelee Ringo, Georgia
• CB/S Brian Branch, Alabama
• TE Michael Mayer, Notre Dame
• CB Cam Smith, South Carolina
• S Antonio Johnson, Texas A&M
• TE Darnell Washington, Georgia
• DL Bryan Bresee, Clemson
• CB Clark Phillips, Utah
• CB Devon Witherspoon, Illinois
• OG O'Cyrus Torrence, Florida
• CB Deonte Banks, Maryland