Player Profile

PRO: Lynn Scott impressed coaches in the 2001 preseason with his bone-jarring hits and smart special teams play, earning a roster spot as a rookie free agent. He has continued his hard hitting and playmaking on special teams - evoking memories of another Cowboys rookie free agent success story, Bill Bates - while seeing time in certain nickel and dime packages. Scott is looking to be a key cog in a much improved secondary this season.

2002: Scott returned for his sophomore campaign and saw action on defense right off the bat as he filled in at strong safety for Tony Dixon (hamstring) against Tennessee (9/15). He ended the day with a career-high four stops. At St. Louis (9/29), Scott saw considerable action in the nickel package and tallied three tackles. Against the N.Y. Giants (10/6), he posted a tackle and a special teams stop before spraining his right great toe and missing the entire second half. He was inactive against Carolina (10/13) and at Arizona (10/20) with the toe injury, then returned to action and posted two tackles and a team-high three special teams stops against Seattle (10/27). He batted down a pass working the slot at the N.Y. Giants (12/15). He tallied two stops against Philadelphia (12/21) before adding two more in the season finale at Washington (12/29).

2001: After earning a roster spot with his play on special teams in the preseason, Scott went on to finish third on the team with 15 special teams tackles during the regular season. In the season opener against Tampa Bay (9/9), Scott made his NFL debut as a safety in the nickel package and recorded one tackle. At Philadelphia (9/30), he finished second on the team with two special teams tackles and recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff that set up a Cowboys field goal. He led the team with four special teams stops at Oakland (10/7) and then logged one tackle at safety and one on special teams against Philadelphia (11/18). At Washington (12/2), he logged one special teams tackle. At Seattle (12/16), Scott saw brief action in place of Darren Woodson at strong safety, recording one tackle while adding another on special teams. He was a game-day deactivation against San Francisco (12/30) and at Detroit (1/6/02).

COLLEGE: Scott was a three-time NAIA All-America at Northwestern Oklahoma. As a senior, he was also named All-Central States Football League Defensive Player of the Year after totaling 72 tackles, nine passes defensed and four interceptions and returning 26 punts for a school-record 595 yards (22.9 avg.) and four touchdowns. As a junior, he totaled 87 stops and five picks while returning 16 punts for 197 yards (12.3) and a score. He tallied 49 tackles and two interceptions while returning 12 punts for 337 yards (28.1) and two scores to lead the nation as a sophomore. As a freshman, Scott totaled 90 stops and two picks while returning 17 punts for 208 yards. His 1,337 career punt return yards is a NOU record.

PERSONAL: Scott was born in Turpin, Okla., where he starred on the Turpin High School football team. As a rookie, he was a member of the Cowboys inaugural "Rookie Club," a program designed to introduce rookies to community service. Throughout the season, the rookies made visits to and spent time with children at Children's Medical Center of Dallas, Oak Cliff Boys and Girls Clubs, The Salvation Army and its Christmas Distribution Center. Scott holds a bachelor's degree in education.