Iowa Hawkeyes Snapshot Profile: No. 91 Lukas Van Ness
The Hawkeyes return one of the most experienced defensive fronts in the league, losing only one starting lineman to graduation. The problem? Zack VanValkenburg was one of the Hawkeyes leading players last year with a team-high 15 tackles for loss. That’s a big hole to fill, but if everything goes according to plan Iowa might have an even better star to fill VanValkenburg’s big shoes.
While a ton of attention has been focused on Iowa’s linebacker trio, sophomore defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness has super star potential. After redshirting a year, Van Ness made an immediate impact as a rotational defensive tackle recording seven sacks. Despite not starting all year, he was one of the Hawkeyes most impactful players. He was named a freshman All-American by both the Football Writers Association of America and the Maxwell Group.
Interestingly enough, Van Ness has a background not only in football… but in hockey! He lettered three times in the sport and was playing it long before he picked up football his freshman year of high school. His time on the ice has translated onto the football field, the frenetic paced hockey helping Van Ness read and react quicker on the field. He brings the same brand of physicality to both the ice and gridiron.
Preseason Player Profile
Hometown: Barrington, Ill.
Ht: 6-5
Wt: 265
Class in 2022: Redshirt Sophomore
247Sports composite ranking
2020 three star / No. 52 SDE / No. 21 player in Illinois
Career Stats
Provided by CFB at Sports Reference: View Original Table
Generated 5/16/2022.
Depth Chart Overview
Do not be surprised if the Hawkeyes use Van Ness all over the line 2022. Iowa defensive line coach Kelvin Bell values versatility and Van Ness can play inside and outside. He should battle for a full-time starting role this year. The Hawkeyes have produced some of the top Big Ten defensive linemen in recent years. Anthony Nelson and A.J. Epenesa come to mind, and Lukas Van Ness can be the next in line.
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