Michigan St DL McDowell enters draft, skips senior season

Posted December 06, 2016 6:00 am

The Associated Press

EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) - Michigan State defensive lineman Malik McDowell is skipping his senior season to enter the NFL draft, where he is a potential first-round pick.

The 6-foot-6, 276-pound McDowell led the Spartans with seven tackles for losses, despite sitting out of three games with an apparent leg injury, and was named to The Associated Press All-Big Ten team. As a sophomore last year, he helped Michigan State win the Big Ten title and advance to the College Football Playoff. McDowell had 24 ˆ½ tackles for losses, including 7 ˆ½ sacks, in 23 starts and 36 games.

Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio says McDowell is an extremely gifted player with the mindset to succeed at the next level.

McDowell made his announcement Tuesday.

___

More AP college football: www.collegefootball.ap.org and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

FILE - In this Aug. 8, 2016, file photo, Michigan State defensive lineman Malik McDowell poses for a photo during the team's NCAA college football media day, in East Lansing, Mich. McDowell is entering the NFL draft, skipping his senior season. The standout defensive lineman made the announcement Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2016. He is projected to be a first-round pick. (AP Photo/Al Goldis, File) The Associated Press

Article Comments

Article Comments

Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.