2023 First Round Pick, #13, Lukas Van Ness

[sharpe1027]

A great pass rush can negate problems with your secondary or defensive scheme. I hope this pick pans put because we might need help with both.

[HarveyWallbangers]

If you had to pick one body/athlete, would you rather have Gary or Van Ness? Gary 1/2” shorter and 5 lbs heavier so more stout. But lower agility. Vs Van Ness who is a little taller, not quite as stout, but more agile?

I think I like Van Ness slightly more. I like the ability to bend the corner. And he’s close on strength.

It's probably been said, but Van Ness is more Preston Smith than Rashan Gary. I thought Myles Murphy was the one more like Gary.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Van Ness = 6'5" 272, 4.58 40, 1.57 10, 31" Vert, 118" broad, 4.32 shuttle, 7.02 3 cone, 11" hands, 34" arms
P Smith = 6'5" 271, 4.74 40, 1.60 10, 34" Vert, 121" broad, 4.28 shuttle, 7.07 3 cone, 10 5/8" hands, 34" arms

Pretty close besides the 40, but even there the 10 split is similar--and that's more important than the 40.

[MadScientist]

Damn, run on TEs going on

[King Friday]

This kid is way more athletic than Smith, but far more raw in terms of his moves and techniques.

[RashanGary]

This kid is way more athletic than Smith.

There literally has never been a person to walk the earth at 6’5 and 270 that’s “WAY” more athletic than Preston.

[George Cumby]

Van Ness = 6'5" 272, 4.58 40, 1.57 10, 31" Vert, 118" broad, 4.32 shuttle, 7.02 3 cone, 11" hands, 34" arms
P Smith = 6'5" 271, 4.74 40, 1.60 10, 34" Vert, 121" broad, 4.28 shuttle, 7.07 3 cone, 10 5/8" hands, 34" arms

Pretty close besides the 40, but even there the 10 split is similar--and that's more important than the 40.

I had no idea P.Smith's measurable were so impressive. Z always looked so much more explosive in-game.

[King Friday]

There literally has never been a person to walk the earth at 6’5 and 270 that’s “WAY” more athletic than Preston.

I see quite a few in the NFL today. Preston can be explosive in shorts, but doesn’t play as fast in pads. Van Ness has speed in pads that you see on film.

[RashanGary]

I see quite a few in the NFL today. Preston can be explosive in shorts, but doesn’t play as fast in pads. Van Ness has speed in pads that you see on film.

I only watched film on three guys this year before the draft. It was the three edges that might make it to us because I thought that was the most likely scenario. I knew nothing about measurable when I turned in the film and the very first observation I made was that I felt like I was watching Preston Smith with both VanNess and Murphy. Van Ness even moreso than Murphy. The measurables check out. Same athlete.

[run pMc]

In fairness to Preston, he's 30 going on 31. He's slowed down. When he was with WFT he was pretty good and his first year for GB too.
LVN is more athletic and I think his game more closely resembles Gary's, but I think he could move into the Smith role.
JMHO


Murphy scared some because of the Clemson curse, take helmet scouting for what it's worth. I also think it was that he had a strong Frosh year and then kind of plateaued. I like him but he could easily bust or just be a meh player. Seems that Gute is betting on upside with LVN...so maybe Murphy's upside isn't as much.

[RashanGary]

Van Ness might have a little more natural and effective bull rush than Preston. But I doubt he’s as natural in space as Preston is when he’s asked to drop into coverage.

I like that LVN is just bendy enough and fast enough to win with a pure speed rush. Preston is a rare big guy who can do that too. At least when he was younger.

That’s what made JJ Watt so good. He could win speed rushes and was so powerful on top of it. Reggie was like that too. Reggie was winning speed rushes at 300. LVN isn’t as big as Watt or Reggie. But he’s got a speed rush and a powerful bull rush. There is enough there to get excited about. I could see 8 sacks his rookie year with just the speed rush and bull rush in his bag.

[MadtownPacker]

He will be the next JJ Watt....

[smuggler]

I see quite a few in the NFL today. Preston can be explosive in shorts, but doesn’t play as fast in pads. Van Ness has speed in pads that you see on film.

Preston is also on the wrong side of 30, so you two are arguing different comparisons methinks.

[Fritz]

Still waiting for the white people to make the Clay Matthews comparison.

[RashanGary]

Still waiting for the white people to make the Clay Matthews comparison.

Will Andersons pass rush looks just like Clay.