Husky Roster Review: At Nickel, McCutcheon Is Hardly Spare Change

The junior nickelback is making a strong bid to be a starter this coming season.

Dyson McCutcheon goes one on one in spring ball. / Skylar Lin Visuals

The four football players hailed from California, each a 3-star recruit. Together, they represented the last bastion of University of Washington defensive backs signed by Jimmy Lake, long considered an expert in his field in finding and developing coverage talent.

Three years later, only junior nickelback Dyson McCutcheon remains on the roster, emerging as a starting candidate for Jedd Fisch's staff coming out of Husky spring practice.

Gone are cornerback Davon Banks to Boise State this spring, cornerback Zakhari Spears to Connecticut two years ago and safety Vince Nunley still sitting in the transfer portal unattached since December.

Intent on finishing his football career at the UW, the 5-foot-11, 184-pound McCutcheon could be rewarded for his patience and turn out to be another Alex Cook or Mishael Powell, which is a secondary member who had to put in a lot of time in Montlake before receiving huge responsibility and flourishing.

"I definitely feel like i've worked for it and I'm honored to be in the first group and I have pride in that," McCutcheon said of his starting bid during spring ball. "I definitely feel I've given my all, and not just keep up with the other guys but to do my part."

This is one in a series of articles -- going from 0 to 99 on the Husky roster -- examining what each scholarship player and leading walk-on did this past spring and what to expect from them going forward.

Dyson McCutcheon settles under the ball during spring practice. / Skylar Lin Visuals

McCutcheon, used as a reserve the past two seasons, comes from a football pedigree that suggests he should be a successful college player when ready.

His father, Daylon, was an All-Pac-10 cornerback for USC and a seven-year starter for the Cleveland Browns.

His grandfather, Lawrence, was even better largely as a Los Angeles Rams running back, earning Pro Bowl rewards in five of his 10 NFL seasons.

"My dad texts me every day," Dyson McCutcheon said during spring ball. "We're in contact and we talk about practice."

During the coaching change from Kalen DeBoer to Fisch, McCutcheon briefly entered the transfer portal before backtracking to the UW.

"It was definitely to assess my options," he said. "I entered before I knew which staff was coming over. I just wanted to see what else was out there. Once I'd seen that coach Fisch was coming over, i knew what he did at Arizona. I was recruited by him."

All of this familiarity with the new coaches helped this McCutcheon receive plenty of spring opportunity to show what he could do at nickel, to keep a remnant of Lake's DB Class of 2021 in place, to make that football family of his proud.

Dyson McCutcheon (21) works off a teammate during spring ball. / Skylar Lin Visuals

DYSON MCCUTCHEON FILE

What he's done: McCutcheon is just getting started. He appeared in a dozen UW games over the past two seasons as a reserve DB. He has 5 tackles to his name and a pass break-up. He answers to safeties coach Vinnie Sunseri, who was an aggressive NFL player and expects the same style of play from his players.

Starter or not: Entering fall camp, McCutcheon is the leading candidate at nickel after he seemed to keep his mistakes to a minimum during spring ball, Yet it's a highly competitive situation. Indiana transfer Jordan Shaw, who started twice last season as a Big Ten freshman, will push him hard for the job, as will Oklahoma transfer Justin Harrington, providing he doesn't play safety, and sophomore Tristan Dunn is firmly in the mix, too.

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