Iowa defensive lineman Lukas Van Ness announced on social media on Tuesday afternoon that he was declaring for the 2023 NFL Draft.

Van Ness, a 6'5", 275-pound sophomore from Barrington, Illinois, is in his first year of eligibility for the draft having come from the 2020 recruiting class. He is still just 21 years old, and his hybrid of interior and edge skills as well as a physique that earned him the nickname "Hercules" among teammates, make him a prime NFL prospect.

Van Ness, named a second-team All-Big Ten defensive lineman by both the coaches and media in 2022, is expected to be the 17th Iowa defensive lineman drafted in the Kirk Ferentz era. He also has a real shot to be Ferentz's 12th first-round draft pick, which likely made his decision a bit of a foregone conclusion.

"It has been an absolute honor representing the Black and Gold these last three years," Van Ness said in his statement. "It was not an easy decision to leave the University of Iowa with remaining eligibility. [...] I still plan to complete my degree and represent the Hawkeye family in everything I do."

Van Ness tied or led the team in tackles-for-loss and sacks in his two active seasons as a Hawkeye, registering 11.5 TFL and 7 sacks in 2022 this season and 8.5 TFL and 7 sacks in 2021.

He also blocked two punts against Iowa State, the first Hawkeye to do so since 2003, and his massive hit on Rutgers QB Evan Simon forced an errant throw that Cooper DeJean returned for a pick-six -- with Van Ness even delivering one last pancake block at the goal line:

Van Ness leaves Iowa as yet another Kirk Ferentz recruiting success, having been a three-star recruit in 2020 with only a handful of other Power 5 offers from Illinois, Kansas, Kansas State and Minnesota.