To maximize his potential, William & Mary defensive end Nate Lynn “had to become a student of the game.” 

Watch Lynn every snap he’s on the field for the Tribe defense, and the unrelenting tenacity with which he approaches his role is evident. He shows off a wide-ranging skill set off the line to get past blockers, as William & Mary coach Mike London described. 

“Nate’s a defensive lineman [who is] very gifted in terms of being able to play with hands,” he said. “He has the ability to make multiple pass-rush moves. He’s fast, he’s got a great first step. 

“We talk about, as a pass-rusher, being able to dip and lean,” London added. “He can do all those types of things.” 

Lynn showed off his repertoire of moves in the Tribe’s most emphatic win of 2021, a 31-18 defeat of Villanova. Lynn's efforts earned him CAA Defensive Player of the Week, and elicited praise from Wildcats coach Mark Ferrante, who noted that the Tribe defensive end “had a couple spin moves on us.” 

When Lynn isn’t winning at the line of scrimmage with his variety of moves off the jump, he sheds blocks and pursues ball-carriers with quickness, not many players of his 6-foot-3, 265-pound frame exhibit. 

#CAAFB Co-Defensive Player of the Week

Nate Lynn recorded four tackles, 2.5 TFL’s and 2.0 sacks to spearhead a dominant defensive effort by @WMTribeFootball in a 31-18 victory at No. 4 Villanova

Lynn is tied for the FCS lead in sacks per game (1.5 pg)https://t.co/jcH0HCyo2K pic.twitter.com/m8n68A4x5z

— CAA Football (@CAAFootball) November 1, 2021

“He’s a really good player, and he had a really good game against us,” Ferrante said.

 And it’s not just against Villanova that Lynn’s had really good games. The road win marked Lynn’s third multiple-sack game in the month of October alone, and fourth on the season as he’s racked up 10.5 (second-most in the nation).  

Lynn rumbles into November bearing down on the program's single-season record sack like it’s an opposing quarterback.  

📊 𝐖&𝐌 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞-𝐒𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐒𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭

1⃣2⃣ Adrian Tracy, 2009 (14 games)
1⃣2⃣ Luke Cullinane, 1996 (12 games)
1⃣0⃣.5⃣ Nate Lynn, 2021 (8 games)#GoTribe pic.twitter.com/HdXYj8QnhE

— William & Mary Tribe Football (@WMTribeFootball) November 2, 2021

The piece de resistance for Lynn thus far in 2021 may be his outing against Towson on Oct. 23, when he made three sacks—one of which delivered a jaw-dropping highlight.  

OUCH! Nate Lynn comes in with the strip sack. Tribe ball! 12:38 left in the game. pic.twitter.com/MOcaTqugPu

— William & Mary Tribe Football (@WMTribeFootball) October 23, 2021

In separating Towson quarterback Chris Ferguson, both from his helmet and the ball, one of the nation-leading four fumbles Lynn’s forced on the season. 

“The other thing you like about him is the ability to not only create a sack, but also be able to go for the strip sack,” London said. “He’s always thinking not just about the sack, but the opportunity to create a turnover. When you have a defensive lineman who has that type of mindset, it’s neat to watch.”

Lynn’s dedication to studying the game combines with his physical playmaking in those moments, turning big plays into game-changers. 

The end said he went into the brief offseason between last year’s spring schedule and this autumn focused on sharpening his knowledge of “his craft.” That means carving time into a crowded schedule to study, study, study. 

“You can’t wait for anybody to tell you to do it,” he said. 

The end result of combining research of quarterbacks’ tendencies and blocking schemes with refined physical ability is an awe-inspiring blend of precision and power. 

“When you study teams, you see the quarterback’s drop point; how deep behind the line of scrimmage he’ll like to set,” Lynn explained. “You get a gauge of how deep you need to rush to get to his spot, because he’s going to move off where he is when he gets the ball if he’s taking a three, five, seven-step drop.

“Being able to get some edge-rushing opportunities, if you can get to that point, you can come from his blind side,” he continued. “At that point it’s just locating the football and having the presence of mind to go for it.” 

Seems simple enough, but it’s one of the many facets to football that if it was at all easy, more would be doing it. 

The time between recognition of formation, the ball going into play, Lynn attacking the point against his blocker, then reacting to the quarterback’s drop-back—and whether or not he’s a pocket-passer or dual-threat—is seconds at most. 

Then, factoring in that “presence of mind” necessary to not only spot where the ball is but also make a play on it, Lynn makes it look like he’s slowed down time. 

All the more impressive, Lynn has thrived for a William & Mary defense that only recently approached full-strength. Captains Tyler Crist and Carl Fowler rejoining the lineup coincided with what are arguably the two best performances for the Tribe this season, vs. Towson and at Villanova. 

“It’s been a great boost, even outside of what they bring with their abilities⁠ —they’re very skilled players,” Lynn said of Crist and Fowler. “It’s another voice on the field, another voice on the line to orchestrate the defense and keep us together.” 

Lynn and Will Kiely helped hold things down for the William & Mary defense. Now that it’s a more complete unit, the Tribe look poised for a playoff berth. 

Should it win out, William & Mary will claim a Colonial Athletic Association championship. 

“It’s extremely motivating, but the bigger thing is keeping it week-to-week,” Lynn said of the title push. “That’s a really big point, because once you start to look too far ahead, that’s when you start to overlook [games].” 

And paying attention to every detail is to what the standout defensive end owes his stellar 2021.