Say Cheese! Twitter reacts to Green Bay Packers’ selection of Iowa star Lukas Van Ness
One of the popular 2023 NFL draft predictions for former Iowa Hawkeyes star edge rusher Lukas Van Ness came true on Thursday night.
The Barrington, Ill., native is off to Lambeau Field as the newest member of the Green Bay Packers. The 6-foot-5, 272 pound defensive lineman leaves Iowa City after racking up 19.5 tackles for loss and 13.5 sacks over the past two seasons with the Hawkeyes.
Van Ness likely cemented his status high atop the board with his strong NFL Combine showing. The former Hawkeyes impressed with a 4.58 40-yard dash, a 7.02 3-cone drill, 4.32 20-yard shuttle, a 1.64 10-yard split and a 31-inch vertical leap. In short, he flashed the quick twitch and athleticism NFL scouts were looking for.
Now, he gets to celebrate his hard work paying off as one of the highest-drafted players in the Kirk Ferentz era. The Butkus Award winner wasn’t far behind him on the draft board either.
Hawkeye linebacker Jack Campbell was selected with the No. 18 pick by the Detroit Lions. Combined with Van Ness’ landing spot in Green Bay, it means that Iowa had a pair of defensive players taken in the first round for the first time in school history.
It was a historic night for Iowa and an awesome night individually for Van Ness. Social media reacted to Van Ness’ arrival in Green Bay.
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Dreams realized
Dreams realized.
📺 @nflnetwork#NFLHawks x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/4joS8v2RlN
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) April 28, 2023
Round 1, Pick No. 13
Round: 1 | Pick: 13@lukas_vanness ➡️ @packers #NFLHawks x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/TWZ3sHoqOx
— Hawkeye Football (@HawkeyeFootball) April 28, 2023
Green Bay threads
9️⃣0️⃣ @lukas_vanness#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/AqRaTi6QwL
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 28, 2023
A Green Bay Packer!
LUKAS VAN NESS, YOU ARE A GREEN BAY PACKER!
The edge rusher goes #13 overall in the draft.
— Barstool Iowa (@BarstoolUIowa) April 28, 2023
HERCULES
HERCULES 💪@lukas_vanness had 13½ sacks over the last two seasons at Iowa.#PackersDraft | @meijer pic.twitter.com/ysrvpmFlnZ
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 28, 2023
Van Ness watch party is hype!
.@lukas_vanness's family was hyped after he was drafted 😂 pic.twitter.com/Ba67pfzMJZ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) April 28, 2023
The streak lives on!
Before tonight, the Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers were tied for drafting the most first-rounders from Iowa. After tonight, they're still tied (with 5 apiece) after the Packers picked defensive end Lukas Van Ness 13th and the Lions chose linebacker Jack Campbell 18th. pic.twitter.com/ybVU6ut5XB
— Scott Dochterman (@ScottDochterman) April 28, 2023
PERFECT fit
Love the fit in Green Bay for Lukas. That is the PERFECT fit.
My comparison was Rashan Gary, Lukas is going to play rotationally and develop into a stud. Thrilled for him. Thrilled for the Pack.
— Blake Hornstein (@BlakeHornTV) April 28, 2023
Nice piece of history
📌 1st Iowa defensive player to go in R1 since 2011 (Adrian Clayborn).
📌 Highest Iowa defensive selection since 1997 (Tom Knight, No. 9)Well done, Lukas Van Ness! 👏#B1Gstats x #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/b1AFAo0VvY
— Iowa On BTN (@IowaOnBTN) April 28, 2023
Tied-4th in the Ferentz era
Highest-drafted Hawkeyes in Ferentz era:
2. OL Robert Gallery, 2004
5. OL Brandon Scherff, 2015
8. TE T.J. Hockenson, 2018
13. DL Lukas Van Ness, 2023
13. OL Tristan Wirfs, 2020
17. LB Chad Greenway, 2006
18. LB Jack Campbell, 2023First time with 2 top-18 picks in same draft.
— Chad Leistikow (@ChadLeistikow) April 28, 2023
Full list of Ferentz first-rounders
*Updated Official Kirk Ferentz 1st rounders
1. Dallas Clark
2. Robert Gallery
3. Chad Greenway
4. Bryan Bulaga
5. Adrian Clayborn
6. Riley Reiff
7. Brandon Scherff
8. TJ Hockenson
9. Noah Fant
10. Tristan Wirfs
11. Tyler Linderbaum
12. Lukas Van Ness
13. Jack Campbell— Dylan (@dmcbride77) April 28, 2023
Another B1G addition
Another BIG addition to the #Packers front 7.
Lukas Van Ness, welcome to Green Bay! pic.twitter.com/vlFqUJPLso
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) April 28, 2023
Can't be me
Imagine being upset the Green Bay Packers drafted a large, athletic, physical, productive, healthy, and young dude with a ton of upside at a premium position of need.
Can’t be me! pic.twitter.com/iOeYEZaxiY
— Ken Ingalls – Packers Cap 💰 (@KenIngalls) April 28, 2023
A Ted Thompson pick
Green Bay got a 6'5", 272 pound sophomore pass-rusher who runs a 7.02 three cone. Ted Thompson will never die. We are all Ted Thompson
— Justis Mosqueda (@JuMosq) April 28, 2023
Tops in the B1G!
Green Bay selects Iowa DL Lukas Van Ness 13th overall
74 QB pressures since 2021 (1st among Big Ten defenders) pic.twitter.com/1G9y3p1gGc
— PFF College (@PFF_College) April 28, 2023
Some wanted a WR
I don't hate the Lukas Van Ness pick, but Brian Gutekunst really just passed on Jaxon Smith-Njigba pic.twitter.com/D5w173EAAA
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) April 28, 2023
And don't forget this piece of the old-school tape!
The Green Bay Packers drafted a beast… Lukas Van Ness use to crush guys. pic.twitter.com/oXJOc0V8Bh
— World Hockey Report (@worldhockeyrpt) April 28, 2023
Ready to go to work!
🗣️ LET’S GO!!!@lukas_vanness is ready to get to work in Green Bay.#PackersDraft | #GoPackGo pic.twitter.com/yBHHu4iWz2
— Green Bay Packers (@packers) April 28, 2023
And there's still jokes
“Shouldn’t they have played the (Iowa) defense on Offense?” – NFL Network after the Lukas Van Ness pick.
— Sickos Committee (@SickosCommittee) April 28, 2023
Tom...
Iowa has had two of its best offensive players taken in the 1st round tonight: Lukas Van Ness and Jack Campbell.
— Tom Fornelli (@TomFornelli) April 28, 2023
CASH
Per Spotrac, the 4-year rookie contract for new Packers DE Lukas Van Ness of Iowa (#13 pick) would come with a $9.6 million signing bonus and total value of nearly $17.4 million.
— Chad Leistikow (@ChadLeistikow) April 28, 2023
Better late than never
The Lukas Van Ness pick was clearly just to make up for passing on TJ Watt 6 years ago
— Eli Berkovits (@BookOfEli_NFL) April 28, 2023
Bears fans...
Darnell Wright is clamping up Lukas Van Ness twice a year not worried 🥱
— Lex 🎱 (@RipEnvious) April 28, 2023
BOLD! But, we like it
Lukas Van Ness. Remember that name, he WILL BE your 2023 DPOY. You read that correct. Not only will he win DROY, he will also win DPOY. Mark my words. pic.twitter.com/NglRjVBtkG
— Freeze (@freezesports1) April 28, 2023
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