NFL draft: Michigan State DL Malik McDowell taken by Seattle in Round 2
Malik McDowell wanted to go in the top three picks of the NFL draft.
He’ll have to settle for being a top-three pick in the second round.
The former Michigan State defensive lineman was selected by the Seattle Seahawks at No. 35 overall Friday night, eschewing scouts’ pre-draft worries but falling well short of his personal belief that he should be a high first-round pick.
"If you watch him against Northwestern, he looks like a top-15 pick. If you watch him against Michigan, he looks like a fourth-round pick," NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said after the pick was made.
Related:
Mike Mayock: Malik McDowell played like 4th-round pick vs. Michigan
A number of draft analysts considered the 6-foot-6, 295-pound McDowell one of the best defensive linemen in the draft based on physical skills. But concerns over his character arose during the NFL combine after he reportedly interviewed poorly with teams, and issues with his work ethic and ability to play through minor injuries raised red flags among scouts.
"With a talent like that, you should not be a second round draft pick. You should be a top-10 draft pick," ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr. said. "(McDowell) was a classic underachiever."
"It's almost like people were saying, 'Did he shut it down?," NFL Network analyst Charles Davis said. "But Seattle has never shied away from these guys. You mentioned the off-the-field stuff? Remember, they took (former Michigan lineman) Frank Clark in the second round a couple of years ago.
McDowell played both inside at tackle and outside at end for MSU during its 3-9 season, totaling 34 tackles and 1.5 sacks in nine games while dealing with injuries all season. He missed the Spartans’ final three games in 2016 before opting to bypass his final year of eligibility, finishing his MSU career with 7.5 sacks and 90 tackles over 36 games, including 24.5 for lost yardage.
Rounds 4-7 start at noon Saturday. Safety Montae Nicholson and a handful of other former MSU players could be third-day selections.
Contact Chris Solari:csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter@chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free onAppleandAndroiddevices! Special writers Sean Merriman and Brandom Folsom contributed.
