How Lukas Van Ness Could End Up With The Green Bay Packers

If greatness can be measured, then the NFL Combine is full of plenty of numbers that just might mean a player gets drafted in the first round...or see their draft stock fall. Several Iowa Hawkeyes had a great combine performance, including DB Riley Moss and TE Sam LaPorta. But the lone Hawkeye being projected in the first round of this spring's NFL Draft continues to be defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness.

SI.com reports that Van Ness turned in some great numbers at the NFL Combine this weekend. The defensive lineman ran a sup 4.6 second 40-yard dash, and a 4.32 20-yard shuttle. Not bad for a player that measures 6 foot 5 inches and weighs around 270 pounds. At Iowa, Van Ness played all over the defensive line and chances are he'll line up at several different spots in the NFL too. But his size and speed have attracted the attention of one team in particular. The Green Bay Packers.

Sure the only headlines you read about the Packers are about a certain quarterback, but Green Bay needs some help at outside linebacker due to Rashan Gary continuing to recover from a torn ACL. And as SI.com points out, Van Ness fits the bill for what the Packers like to see at that position. Van Ness is 6'5" and 270 lbs. Gary is 6'5" and 277 lbs. Preston Smith is 6'5" and 265 lbs. Former Packer Zadarius Smith stood 6'4" and weighed 272 lbs. These are large fast men rushing the quarterback, and Van Ness could be a perfect fit with the 15th overall pick.

The Draft Network agrees. In their first post-combine mock draft, they too have Van Ness going to the Packers with the 15th pick. So what are the odds that Van Ness is wearing green and gold? Mock drafts are a crap shoot. Don't put too much stock in them. But the Packers have enjoyed success with Iowa players before with the likes of Mike Daniels, Micah Hyde, Tyler Goodson, and more. I like this pick because it addresses a need that has nothing to do with whoever is playing quarterback for the Packers this season. You can never have too many pass rushers!  As a Packers fan...give me Lukas Van Ness!

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