Lukas Van Ness is one of the top defensive prospects this year in the NFL 2023 Draft, and fans are eager to find out the reason why he is nicknamed as Hercules
Van Ness is a 6โ5โ and 275-pound giant who has high chances of becoming a first-round pick in the NFL 2023 Draft this year.
Explained how did Iowa DE Lukas Van Ness get his nickname Hercules and its meaning
Itโs not hard to see why Lukas Van Ness is nicknamed โHerculesโ. โก๏ธ@lukas_vanness | @HawkeyeFootball
๐บ: 2023 #NFLDraft — Starts Thursday 8pm ET on NFLN/ESPN/ABC
๐ฑ: Stream on NFL+ pic.twitter.com/V0aJVfheeG— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2023
Forever a Hawkeye. pic.twitter.com/ilORHrsa28
— Lukas Van Ness (@lukas_vanness) January 3, 2023
The young talent caught the attention of scouts with a 4.6 speed and great footwork despite his large frame.
Lukas Van Ness nickname
Van Ness has so far attracted major attention due to his large build and overwhelming physicality. Owing to his physical qualities, he has been rightly nicknamed โHerculesโ.
Reason behind Lukas Van Ness being nicknamed โHerculesโ
The reason behind Lukas Van Ness being nicknamed Hercules is pretty obvious โ โhis incredible physiqueโ. Despite being just 21 years old, Van Ness has a cut out figure with a set of bulging muscles.
His former Hawkeye teammate Noah Shannon, who gave Van Ness his nickname shared:
He looks like a mini Hercules if you ask me. A six-pack, and heโs like 275.โ
Iowa defensive line coach Kelvin Bell also shared:
He definitely has a physique. Hats off to his mom and dad. That kid hit the genetic lottery.โ
Van Ness himself is quite happy with his nickname and shared:
I think itโs a great nickname. I even remember watching some of those mythical movies when I was younger. It just gives me a laugh to sometimes be compared to someone like Hercules.โ
He added:
Iโm assuming itโll stick for a whileโ
More than just a great body
Although Van Nessโ physique is definitely impressive, the 21-year-old has a lot more to offer than just his great physique. In fact, what makes him stand out amongst other top first-round picks this year is not only is physique but the fact that he never even started a game in his three years in Iowa City.
However, this doesnโt mean that Van Ness is not top talent. In fact, Van Ness has often showcased impressive versatility and he is the No. 1-ranked defense in the country. Lukas can fill in both as a tackle as well as an edge rusher and has even starred in special teams.
What makes him more valuable as an asset to any team he joins is that Van Ness hasn’t even reached his prime. Van Ness is just 21 years old and still has some few more years to develop.
Hawkeyes defensive coordinator Phil Parker shared:
Heโs still young, and thatโs the thing. He hasnโt reached his full potential. Thereโs a lot more upside.โ
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