Micah Parsons takes the spotlight. Rashan Gary leads the league in sacks.
But another Green Bay Packers pass-rusher is quietly breaking out and finally beginning to deliver on first-round expectations: Lukas Van Ness.
Selected 13th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, Van Ness put together two underwhelming campaigns to begin his Packers career, recording just seven sacks and 16 quarterback hits in 34 games. He remained a backup, making zero starts in that time. But the breakout is finally here, and Van Ness is making a significant impact in Jeff Hafley's defense.
Lukas Van Ness is finally enjoying the breakout season Packers fans have waited for
The Parsons effect is real, but the Packers' defense is still dominating even when No. 1 is on the sideline. Van Ness's emergence is one of several key reasons for that.
READ MORE: Jordan Love told to 'grow up' after Packers' Week 3 disaster
Van Ness only has half a sack in the opening three games, but don't let the box score fool you. His impact is clear.
Per Pro Football Focus, the third-year pass-rusher has generated 11 pressures and three quarterback hits. Only three Packers have more pressures, and Parsons is the only player with more hits.
Jerry Jones likes to talk about how Parsons can't defend the run, but Van Ness sure can. PFF credits him with four stops, third-best for the Packers behind only Edgerrin Cooper and Quay Walker. Van Ness has an outstanding run defense grade of 74.9, which ranks 12th among 155 edge defenders.
The scary part? With Parsons and Gary alongside him, Van Ness is the Packers' third-best pass-rusher. He can move inside and line up across the defensive front, but with offenses focusing their attention elsewhere, Van Ness will continue to get one-on-one opportunities.
And he's making the most of it.
Parsons' impact is undoubtedly huge, and Gary is dominating as the No. 2 edge defender. New defensive line coach DeMarcus Covington also deserves credit — the breakout signs were there before the Parsons trade.
But Van Ness also deserves all the praise in the world. Like Gary, it has taken time for Van Ness to develop and begin to make a big impact on defense. The Packers drafted him because they believed in the player he could become, not what he had produced in college.
Here we are. Van Ness's stock is soaring, and if he is the Packers' third pass-rusher, this defense is going to remain a nightmare for every opponent they face.