The Bucs continue to bring in draft prospects on Top 30 visits, and the latest to become known is Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness. The news was actually broken on Van Ness’ own Instagram page and then screen captured on Twitter.

Van Ness is one of the faster rising players in this year’s draft class, especially after his athletic testing at the NFL Scouting Combine. The Hawkeyes star ran a 4.58 in the 40-yard dash at nearly 6-foot-5, 272 pounds. He also shined in the three-cone drill with a 7.02 time, which was one of the best for edge rushers.

Bucs Doing Their Homework On Van Ness

Iowa edge rusher Lukas Van Ness – Photo by: USA Today

Van Ness is a legitimate first-round pick, and likely won’t be on the board by the time the Bucs pick at No. 19. But the team is doing its due diligence just in case. Tampa Bay did not have a formal interview with Van Ness at the Combine.

Van Ness wasn’t even a starter at Iowa due to the coaching staff’s preference for rewarding seniority. But he did log more snaps than either defensive end and led the Hawkeyes with six sacks. Van Ness had seven sacks in 2021, which was his first seeing action.

He’s a very young player and his pass rush needs to mature. Van Ness relies a little too much on power and bull rushes and needs to improve his pass rushing arsenal. The Bucs have a pressing need at outside linebacker with Joe Tryon-Shoyinka plateauing with four sacks and Shaq Barrett coming off a torn Achilles tendon.

Bucs general manager Jason Licht has spent a pair of draft picks on some Hawkeyes before. He selected outside linebacker Anthony Nelson in the fourth round of the 2018 draft and right tackle Tristan Wirfs in the first round of the 2020 draft.