Nate Lynn

Early life

Lynn was born on July 6, 2002. He grew up playing football and sometimes played against players several years older than him as he was "always big for his age". At age 11, he told his mother that he thought he "might not be tough enough to push back effectively against the older boys". 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".

Lynn attended Homewood-Flossmoor High School but saw limited playing time and was ranked as a zero-star recruit. 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. He was invited to the Blue–Grey All-American Bowl after the season. 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.

College career

As a freshman at William & Mary in 2019, Lynn played in all 12 games and made 14 tackles and 1.5 TFLs. In the spring 2021 season, he played in three games and made seven tackles, a TFL and a pass breakup. 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. 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. 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. 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. He concluded his collegiate career having made a school-record 12 forced fumbles, also placing second in team history with 28 sacks.