6-5" 272
Pre-Draft Analysis
Van Ness has a special combination of size, length, power and speed. His ability to get into the pads of offensive linemen and drive them back to the quarterback with ease stands out on tape. He also flashes good swipe and chop moves, but he'll need to continue to improve his array of pass-rush moves to reach his considerable potential. While he didn't see as much time on running downs as he did on passing downs in college, he has the traits to excel versus the run. -- Steve Muench
Matt Miller's NFL comp: Preston Smith
Post-Draft Analysis
Despite never starting a game at Iowa, Van Ness still managed to record 14.0 sacks over the past two seasons. He has a lot of room for growth, though, and with Rashan Gary recovering from a torn ACL, he can step in right away until he returns. Van Ness is an ideal fit in the Packers' scheme, as he can align off the edge but also reduce down inside during passing downs. At Iowa, 50% of his snaps came off of the edge, while 39% came as a defensive tackle. -- Jordan Reid
Projected Year 1 impact: Day 1 rotational contributor. With Preston Smith set to turn 31 years old this season, Van Ness will work in rotation with him and should be considered his eventual replacement at outside linebacker opposite Gary. -- Miller