PHOTO | HUDL

Vance High defensive end Nate Lynn (50) tallied 61 tackles and 14 sacks for the Cougars, who advanced to the N.C. 4AA title game in 2018. He earned an invitation to the Blue-Grey All-American Bowl Jan. 5 in Tampa, Florida.

Nate Lynn opened eyes in one season at Vance High.

The senior defensive end earned an invitation to the Jan. 5 Blue-Grey All-American Bowl in Tampa, Florida after helping the Cougars advance to the N.C. 4AA final for the first time in school history. Lynn, who is the first Vance player to earn an invitation to the showcase, totaled 61 tackles, 14 sacks, 21 tackles for loss and a pair of passes defensed in 2018. 
“I think it was the best year of football in my career, period,” he said.

Lynn, who transferred to Vance from Homewood Swarthmore in Chicago, is especially proud to help Vance to a 13-2 season and a spot in the state title game, which the Cougars lost to Wake Forest 9-7. The best part was being part of the best squad in the school’s history.

“It was big to me because I had just transferred to Vance [last] June, so to be able to come in and change the football culture at Vance, it felt good to know I was able to play a part in that history,” he said. “Even though we didn’t win, we brought the school its first state championship appearance.”

“The Blue-Grey is great and all that, but the state championship was something I got to do with my tremendous coaches – Aaron Brand, Miles Aldridge, my [defensive line] coach Eric Brown,” Lynn said. “It’s something I got to play with my brothers on the team, so I think I’d say the state championship.”

The Blue-Grey All-American Bowl, which airs on ESPN3 at 1:30 p.m., debuted in 1989. It draws college coaches from across the nation, and Lynn, who is 6-3, 260 pounds, wants to attract their attention before deciding on a school. William & Mary, Gardner-Webb, Winston-Salem State and Fayetteville State have made offers, he said, but is open to more interest.

“My recruiting is still open,” Lynn said. “I haven’t decided where I want to play college football yet.”

Lynn, who earned all-conference honors as a senior, has academic gifts, too. He’s an honors student who is enrolled in Advanced Placement classes at Vance and a member of the National Society of High School Scholars with a 3.66 grade point average.  He plans to study microbiology in college and wants to become a biomedical scientist.

“Nathaniel is an outstanding player and person and was a tremendous addition to our football program,” Brand said. “ He was a leader as a captain and by his example – an outstanding technician and very strong.  He played every down and we wouldn’t have made the state finals without him.” 

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