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Inside The Huskies

DeShawn Lynch Has Skills, He Just Needs to Sell Himself to NFL

The former Husky edge rusher can run and was uncanny making plays against opposing passers.
Dan Raley|
DeShawn Lynch spoke with the media at UW Pro Day.
DeShawn Lynch spoke with the media at UW Pro Day. | Dan Raley

He maybe just needs to tell everyone at the next level that he's a safety, not an edge rusher -- that he's maybe the biggest defensive back you've ever seen.

After all, the extra nimble 6-foot-5, 295-pound DeShawn Lynch from the University of Washington and Sacramento State before that came up with 7 pass break-ups and a 57-yard interception return this past season.

Those were better stats than most defensive backs had across the FBS landscape -- and amazing numbers for someone playing on the defensive line.

Still, he has to sell himself to the talent scouts with the draft coming up fast.

"I had to get my name out there a little more," Lynch said at Husky Pro Day earlier in the week. "I felt I proved it, for the most part."

Lynch specifically was referring to his 4.7-second 40-yard dash, which again was eye-opening stuff for someone his size, as he puts himself out there for everyone to see.

"It was making sure I was fast," he said. "I already felt powerful."

It's what nearly got him into the end zone in the LA Bowl, when he intercepted a fourth-quarter Boise State pass in the flat, cut to his right and rumbled all the way to the Broncos 8, where he went down untouched and forever was teased about it from his UW teammates.

"I heard it all on the way on the bus," he said. "I woke up thinking about it. I went to sleep thinking about it. If I get another chance like that, just know I'm scoring."

That's been the dilemma for Lynch so far. He has all of this intriguing athleticism, but he just hasn't quite been able to put it together and become a headliner.

The LA Bowl interception is the perfect metaphor for his career: he went 57 yards with the pass theft yet he didn't get into the end zone.

There's still time.

Deshawn Lynch lines up on the edge for the UW in the Apple Cup.
Deshawn Lynch lines up on the edge for the UW in the Apple Cup. | Dave Sizer photo

Lynch is the kind of guy the NFL scouts look for among the free agents out there and want to put on their practice squads and try to turn them into big contributors.

He actually had 8 pass break-ups while with the Huskies over two seasons, which was sort of an awareness thing.

"It's just the motion of the quarterback," he said. "I just read his eyes."

UW edge rusher Deshawn Lynch (41) leaves the field with linebacker Deven Bryant (17).
UW edge rusher Deshawn Lynch (41) leaves the field with linebacker Deven Bryant (17). | Dave Sizer photo

The fact Lynch didn't start for the Huskies at all this past season doesn't help his cause any when the scouts go digging through his background. However, he can point to the fact he opened against Iowa, Michigan, Northwestern and Penn State in 2024.

He knows he's got something to offer, he just needs to turn more heads. He does not take football for granted either. He's got a good attitude about it.

"I thank God every day I'm able to do this in the first place," Lynch said. "It's all a blessing."

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Dan Raley
DAN RALEY

Dan Raley has worked for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, as well as for MSN.com and Boeing, the latter as a global aerospace writer. His sportswriting career spans four decades and he's covered University of Washington football and basketball during much of that time. In a working capacity, he's been to the Super Bowl, the NBA Finals, the MLB playoffs, the Masters, the U.S. Open, the PGA Championship and countless Final Fours and bowl games.

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