| No. 57 – Detroit Lions | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Linebacker |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | July 6, 2002 |
| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) |
| Weight: | 252 lb (114 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Homewood-Flossmoor (Flossmoor, Illinois) Zebulon B. Vance (Charlotte, North Carolina) |
| College: | William & Mary (2019–2023) |
| NFL draft: | 2024: undrafted |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Active |
| Stats at Pro Football Reference | |
Nate Lynn (born July 6, 2002) is an American professional football linebacker for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the William & Mary Tribe and was signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2024.
Lynn was born on July 6, 2002. [1] He grew up playing football and sometimes played against players several years older than him as he was "always big for his age". [2] At age 11, he told his mother that he thought he "might not be tough enough to push back effectively against the older boys". [2] In response, his mother had him push her in a desk chair across a 25-yard distance repeatedly, and the next day, Lynn "pushed those people around like they were nothing". [2]
Lynn attended Homewood-Flossmoor High School but saw limited playing time and was ranked as a zero-star recruit. [3] He transferred to Zebulon B. Vance High School in North Carolina as a senior and was named all-conference after posting 61 tackles, 21 tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and 14 sacks while helping Vance to the state championship game. [4] He was invited to the Blue–Grey All-American Bowl after the season. [4] Lynn committed to play college football for the William & Mary Tribe at the NCAA Division I FCS level, one of only three teams to give him an offer. [3]
As a freshman at William & Mary in 2019, Lynn played in all 12 games and made 14 tackles and 1.5 TFLs. [5] In the spring 2021 season, he played in three games and made seven tackles, a TFL and a pass breakup. [5] He had a breakout year as a redshirt-sophomore in the fall 2021 season, posting 52 tackles, 13.5 TFLs, 12 sacks and six forced fumbles. [6] He was named a first-team FCS All-American, first-team All-Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) and ranked ninth in voting for the Buck Buchanan Award for his performance. [6] The following year, Lynn was named first-team All-CAA and third-team All-American after tallying 61 tackles, 13 TFLs, eight sacks and four forced fumbles. [6] In his last year, he served as team captain and made 58 tackles, 11 TFLs and eight sacks, being named first-team All-CAA, second-team All-American and a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award. [5] [7] He concluded his collegiate career having made a school-record 12 forced fumbles, also placing second in team history with 28 sacks. [3]
After going unselected in the 2024 NFL draft, Lynn signed with the Detroit Lions as an undrafted free agent. [3] He impressed in training camp and in one preseason game but suffered a torn ligament in his shoulder, resulting in him spending the entire season on injured reserve. [3] He returned to the Lions in 2025 and was one of their standout performers in training camp. [3]