One of the best things about sports is that a star can come from anywhere.
As sports fans, we are obsessed with the underdog. Sports history is littered with these magical surprise moments, from Appalachian State’s historic upset victory over Michigan to Holly Holm’s knockout of Ronda Rousey. Fictional sports legends such as Rocky and Rudy have formed because of the underdog.
In football, it is the same way. While many fantastic players were highly-touted recruits, we have seen time and time again an undervalued recruit defy the odds and push their way into superstardom.
Chance Linton of 247Sports recently created an All-3-Star team for the 2020 recruiting class, highlighted by former Iowa defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness.
The lone first-round pick on the list, Van Ness redshirted in his first season at Iowa before emerging as a difference-maker for the Hawkeyes while playing both defensive end and tackle. The 6-foot-5, 269-pounder notched 71 tackles (19.5 for loss), 13.5 sacks and one pass breakup over 27 career games, earning second-team All-Big 12 honors in 2022. He was selected by the Green Bay Packers with the No. 13 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. – Linton, 247Sports.
I don’t imagine Van Ness will remain the only first-rounder on this extremely talented list, with Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu likely pushing for a top-10 selection this upcoming year. There are a ton of other notable players included, such as All-American running back Deuce Vaughn, and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year Tuli Tuipulotu.
However, going into the 2023 season, Iowa’s defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness is the cream of the crop. Entering Iowa City as a three-star, 240-pound defensive end, the Hawkeyes helped develop Van Ness to fit his “Hercules” nickname. An impressive blend of size and speed, Van Ness was a second-team All-Big Ten selection last year before going 13th overall to the Green Bay Packers in the 2023 NFL Draft.
Van Ness ended his Iowa career with 71 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 13.5 sacks, and one pass defensed across 27 games. Lukas Van Ness is just the latest example of the great player development and NFL pipeline at the University of Iowa.
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