Nate Lynn

Last updated
Nate Lynn
Personal information
Born: (2002-07-06) July 6, 2002 (age 23)
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:252 lb (114 kg)
Career information
Position: Linebacker
High school: Homewood-Flossmoor
(Flossmoor, Illinois)
Zebulon B. Vance
(Charlotte, North Carolina)
College: William & Mary (2019–2023)
NFL draft: 2024: undrafted
Career history
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Nate Lynn (born July 6, 2002) is an American professional football linebacker . He played college football for the William & Mary Tribe and was signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent in 2024.

Contents

Early life

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]

College career

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]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
6 ft 2+34 in
(1.90 m)
253 lb
(115 kg)
31 in
(0.79 m)
9+38 in
(0.24 m)
4.85 s1.65 s2.86 s4.62 s7.43 s30.5 in
(0.77 m)
9 ft 6 in
(2.90 m)
20 reps
All values from Pro Day [8]

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]

On August 26, 2025, Lynn was waived by the Lions as part of final roster cuts. [9]

References

  1. "Nate Lynn Stats". Pro Football Reference . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  2. 1 2 3 O'Brien, Marty (September 22, 2023). "W&M's Nate Lynn beat his fear of larger linemen by pushing his mom in a desk chair. Now he's an All-American". The Virginian-Pilot via archive.today.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Birkett, Dave (July 31, 2025). "Delayed not denied: Nate Lynn, slept on Lions D-lineman, ready for second chance". Detroit Free Press via archive.today.
  4. 1 2 White, Herbert L. (January 3, 2019). "Vance High defensive end Nate Lynn ready for national showcase". The Charlotte Post via Wayback Machine.
  5. 1 2 3 "Nate Lynn". William & Mary Tribe . Retrieved August 11, 2025.
  6. 1 2 3 Herder, Sam (May 15, 2023). "2023 FCS Jersey Countdown: 99 — The Best Player Who Wears No. 99 Is William & Mary's Nate Lynn". HERO Sports.
  7. "W&M's Nate Lynn Honored as Buck Buchanan Award Finalist". Williamsburg Yorktown Daily . November 22, 2023.
  8. "Nate Lynn College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved August 17, 2025.
  9. "Lions announce roster moves". detroitlions.com. Retrieved 27 August 2025.