McCutcheon Needs To Be Money Player at Husky Nickel

The son and grandson of NFL players, this UW defensive back is trying to live up to the family legacy.

Huskies nickelback Dyson McCutcheon (21) celebrates a Sugar Bowl win over Texas. / Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK

He's a third-generation McCutcheon as a football player, which means if Dyson intends to keep the family legacy going at a high level, he needs to make a big move this year.

McCutcheon is a fifth-year senior nickelback who's appeared in 24 games, but hasn't been a starter yet.

It just so happens the No. 1 nickel job is open because Jordan Shaw transferred to Texas A&M.

With spring football practice opening next Tuesday, McCutcheon is readily available.

"I think Dyson will step up," former UW safety Kamren Fabiculanan said at Husky Pro Day. "He's got his experience last year and stepped in, playing in bigger games and playing throughout the while season. He'll step up and make some big plays this year."

Michigan 's Roman Wilson (1) tries to avoid Husky nickelback Dyson McCutcheon (21) in the CFP national championship game. / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

No pressure at all, but Dyson is the son of Daylon McCutcheon, who played 103 games in the NFL as a cornerback, started 96 times, intercepted 12 passes and returned two for touchdowns.

Again, no pressure whatsoever, but he's also the grandson of the great Lawrence McCutcheon, one of the game's greatest pro running backs of the 1970s, and someone who appeared in 109 NFL games, started 82 times, rushed for 6,578 yards and scored 52 TDs.

Dyson McCutcheon is a 5-foot-11, 182-pound defensive back who came to the UW to play for Jimmy Lake, briefly entered the transfer portal two coaching changes later when Jedd Fisch took over for Kalen DeBoer and is still in Montlake seeking a more prominent role.

None of his coaches have been reluctant to use him so far, with DeBoer and Fisch each sending him onto the field in12 games.

Last season, McCutcheon appeared a dozen timesas the nickelback back-up, regularly rotating in and missing only the Penn State outing.

Asked about filling the nickel role and possibly trading players around, UW secondary coach John Richardson would only say that he willput his best five defensive backs on the field, whomever that might be.

No pressure, but McCutcheon has a family tree to live up to and he needs to be part of that quintet.

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