The Green Bay Packers are known for producing elite defenders who step up when the moment matters most. From Reggie White’s supernatural dominance to Clay Matthews’ golden mane flying through opposing offensive lines, the Packers’ legacy of pass rush excellence runs deep. That tradition, however, doesn’t just materialize out of nowhere. It requires a combination of opportunity, patience, coaching, and belief—both from within the organization and from the fanbase. Now, as the 2025 NFL season looms, all eyes are quietly starting to settle on one name: Lukas Van Ness. A name that once belonged to a relative unknown coming out of Iowa, but now carries the weight of being the next great hope to anchor Green Bay’s defense for the next decade.
In many ways, Lukas Van Ness is the quintessential Packer prototype: blue-collar mindset, relentless motor, and an unteachable combination of strength and athleticism. Selected in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft with the 13th overall pick, Van Ness came in as a high-upside project who didn’t even start in college but dominated in limited snaps. That paradox confused some and thrilled others. The Packers, true to their reputation of betting on traits and long-term growth, saw the flashes—violence in the hands, speed-to-power conversion, and a rawness that suggested untapped potential. In Green Bay, that’s more than enough to ignite optimism.
Yet, the NFL is a league where instant gratification reigns supreme. Van Ness didn’t immediately turn into Micah Parsons. He didn’t rack up 12 sacks in his rookie season or become a household name. Instead, his 2023 campaign was a gradual burn: flashes of promise surrounded by growing pains. His stat line wasn’t loud—just 4.0 sacks, 27 total tackles, and 10 QB hits—but it whispered potential in a way that real football minds recognize. He wasn’t always in the right place, but he never stopped coming. He didn’t dominate every snap, but he disrupted enough to make offensive coordinators take notice. And in a league where pressure often matters more than sacks, Van Ness was starting to show he could collapse pockets with the best of them.
The 2024 season was the beginning of the shift. With Rashan Gary still anchoring one edge and Preston Smith providing veteran leadership on the other, Van Ness was often the third man in—a rotational piece getting 30 to 40 snaps a game, depending on matchup. But what became clear by midseason was that Van Ness was beginning to learn how to manipulate blockers rather than simply charge through them. The bull rush remained his go-to move, but his hand placement improved, and he began developing a counter spin that had more than a few left tackles lunging into thin air. Coaches praised his film-room diligence, calling him “a sponge” who wanted every edge he could find. By Week 10, he had already equaled his sack total from the previous year and was among the team leaders in pressures per snap.
What Lukas Van Ness needs now is not a scheme shift or a position change. He needs time. Time to grow into his body. Time to turn instincts into reactions. Time to understand the subtleties of NFL offensive lines, the nuances of different blocking schemes, the art of pacing a pass rush over four quarters. This is not a player who is lacking talent. He is lacking seasoning. And unlike many rookies who bust because they’re thrown into the fire too early without direction, Van Ness has the luxury of developing under the Packers’ measured approach. With the recent departure of some veterans and the changing of the guard on the defensive side of the ball, 2025 might just be the year he takes that leap.
There’s an intangible aspect to Van Ness’ game that scouts and coaches often try to quantify but never quite capture. It’s his relentlessness. Every play, he’s coming at full throttle, whether he’s lined up on the edge or kicked inside on third down. His versatility has made him a chess piece for defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley, who took over this past offseason with an emphasis on speed and aggression. Hafley has already indicated he plans to unleash Van Ness more frequently this year, allowing him to pin his ears back and attack rather than thinking too much. That freedom may be the final spark Van Ness needs.
It’s important to understand how pass rushers evolve in the NFL. Rarely do even the elite ones explode from day one. T.J. Watt had a solid rookie year, but it took him until Year 3 to become a DPOY candidate. Danielle Hunter barely played in his first year with the Vikings but became a 14.5 sack monster by Year 3. Rashan Gary himself followed a similar trajectory—raw out of Michigan, rotational for two years, and then—boom—dominance. Van Ness is following that same arc, and history suggests that when a player with his physical gifts and relentless mindset gets it all to click, the results are explosive.
His frame is ideal: 6’5″, 275 pounds, with long arms, tree-trunk legs, and the kind of core strength that’s rare even in a league of outliers. He runs like a linebacker and hits like a defensive tackle. In the weight room, he’s already one of the strongest players on the team. But it’s not just about lifting heavy. Van Ness has worked with speed coaches in the offseason to improve his first step and footwork efficiency. He’s focusing on shaving milliseconds off his get-off, because in the NFL, milliseconds are the difference between a sack and a near-miss.
Perhaps the most exciting part about Van Ness is his ceiling. At just 23 years old, he has room to grow both physically and mentally. The Packers don’t need him to be a Pro Bowler today. They need him to continue ascending, learning, and developing into a player who can terrorize quarterbacks for years to come. With the emergence of young interior players like Devonte Wyatt and the consistent presence of Kenny Clark, Green Bay’s front seven could become a nightmare if Van Ness erupts as expected.
This brings us to the fanbase. Green Bay is unique in the NFL. The only publicly owned franchise, the Packers’ energy flows directly from its supporters. The Lambeau faithful have witnessed legends rise and fall. They’ve seen the quiet rookies become stars—Donald Driver, Aaron Jones, Jordy Nelson—all examples of players who weren’t immediate superstars but became integral pillars of success through belief and patience. Lukas Van Ness could very well join that lineage. But he needs your support now more than ever.
Every player hears the whispers. They read the tweets, see the critiques, and feel the weight of expectations. Some shrink. Others rise. Van Ness is wired to rise, but the encouragement of a city—of a community that lives and breathes football—can be the accelerant to that rise. When a player knows the fans believe in his journey, even when the box scores don’t shine, he plays harder, freer, and with more confidence.
That support means celebrating the little wins: a key pressure on third down, a tackle for loss that changes field position, a hustle play that shows his motor is still on late in the fourth quarter. It means resisting the urge to compare him to already finished products and instead appreciating the mosaic being built one snap at a time. And it means trusting the Packers’ system, one that has produced dominant defenders before and is fully invested in turning Van Ness into the next one.
It also means understanding context. The Packers defense has been in a state of transition. Hafley’s arrival brings a new philosophy, one that prioritizes aggression, disguises, and hybrid looks. That transition will have growing pains, and players like Van Ness, who thrive on instinct and explosion, will have to adjust to new responsibilities and alignments. There will be weeks where the stat sheet doesn’t tell the full story. But over time, those flashes will become quarters. Then games. Then seasons. And eventually, Van Ness will be one of those names kids in Wisconsin wear on the back of their jerseys.
One of the biggest challenges in modern football is the erosion of patience. Fans want results instantly. Analysts demand highlight reels. But real greatness often simmers before it boils over. That’s where Van Ness is right now—in that simmering stage, where all the ingredients are in the pot, and it just needs time and heat. The heat is coming, and the time is now.
In the grand arc of Packers history, Lukas Van Ness could be the next in a line of defensive titans who reshape games with their presence. His physicality evokes memories of Julius Peppers in his later years with Green Bay. His potential versatility calls back to Z’Darius Smith when he was moving all over the line wreaking havoc. But more than that, Van Ness has the opportunity to be uniquely himself—an Iowa-bred, high-motor disruptor who becomes the symbol of a new era of Packers defense.
His breakout is not a matter of “if” but “when.” All the signs are there: the work ethic, the improvement, the coaching investment, and the flashes of dominance. The 2025 season could very well be the turning point. And when it happens, when Van Ness bursts through the line, plants a quarterback in the turf, and pumps his fist in front of a roaring Lambeau crowd, it won’t be a surprise. It will be the culmination of patience, preparation, and quiet belief.
And so, Packers fans, this is your moment, too. Get behind the young bull. Cheer every snap like it’s a sack. Let your voice rise above the doubters. Because this storm is building—and Lukas Van Ness is ready to erupt. All he needs is time. And all you need to do is believe.
