One of the cool parts of the 2023 NFL draft will be seeing a number of new superstars that proved the recruiting rankings wrong.
The Iowa Hawkeyes have made a habit of finding overlooked, lower-ranked recruits and morphing them into the next wave of NFL draft standouts. Under Kirk Ferentz, Iowa has been one of the nation’s best at developing players into NFL talents.
The Hawkeyes are set to send another group of talented playmakers to the next level beginning next Thursday, April 27, from Union Station in Kansas City, Mo.
[affiliatewidget_smgtolocal]
It likely begins with talented EDGE and defensive end Lukas Van Ness. Widely tabbed as a first-round talent heading into this coming week’s 2023 NFL draft, Van Ness is getting love from ESPN as one of the prospects that proved the recruiting evaluators wrong.
ESPN recruiting coordinator Billy Tucker listed Van Ness as one of the 2023 NFL draft’s stars that were unheralded recruits. Here’s what he had to say about the Barrington, Ill., native.
Van Ness was highly athletic in high school, even playing hockey at 6-foot-5, 240 pounds. In the defensive trenches, his game wasn’t flashy; it was built more on power and less on edge speed, which is why he slid under the radar and had just three Power 5 offers.
He didn’t even start at Iowa, yet he was a disruptive force who saw action in 27 games and was plenty productive with 19 tackles for loss. He maximized his frame, as he now stands at 6-5, 272 pounds, while increasing his speed and acceleration.
His draft stock soared from his coveted measurables and his agility. His versatility to play most positions along the D-line is also highly sought-after at the NFL level. On the biggest stage at the NFL combine, he ran a 4.58 40-yard dash. By comparison, 2014 No. 1 pick Jadeveon Clowney ran a 4.53 as a defensive end in 2014. – Tucker, ESPN.
Van Ness joins Texas Tech defensive lineman Tyree Wilson, Illinois cornerback Devon Witherspoon, Utah tight end Dalton Kincaid, Boston College wide receiver Zay Flowers, and Kansas State defensive end Felix Anudike-Uzomah among ESPN’s unheralded recruits turned 2023 NFL draft stars.
Van Ness finishes his Iowa career with 71 tackles and 13.5 sacks. The 6-foot-5, 272 pound defensive lineman should come off the board first for the Hawkeyes next Thursday night.
[mm-video type=video id=01gwj3pxqafy1jzm2ahr playlist_id=01fvdcxf97xrgg1awc player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01gwj3pxqafy1jzm2ahr/01gwj3pxqafy1jzm2ahr-0a354394a7178cdcd0c1f3135f4740bc.jpg]
[lawrence-auto-related count=5]
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions.
Follow Josh on Twitter: @JoshOnREF