Michigan State Football: Predicting where Spartans land in 2017 NFL Draft
With the 2017 NFL Draft coming up, where will the top Michigan State football prospects be selected?
It wasn’t the season Mark Dantonio was hoping for just one year removed from the school’s first-ever College Football Playoff appearance. Michigan State football’s 10th-year coach led the Spartans to a 3-9 record and it looked like all hope for the future was lost.
Rumors were spreading about a tumultuous locker room situation but this offseason as weeded out some of the program’s bad apples — not necessarily in the most positive way.
Despite the poor season and disappointing performances from just about every player who was supposed to be in a leadership role, the Spartans are still in line to have a few guys drafted and even a first-round pick for the fourth straight season.
Last year it was Jack Conklin to the Titans, the year before in was Trae Waynes to the Vikings and it was all started by Darqueze Dennard to the Bengals in 2014. Who will be this year’s first-round pick? And which round will each of the other draft-eligible Spartans land?
From the beginning of his Michigan State career to the end, Malik McDowell was always an interesting character. There was never a dull moment from his National Signing Day controversy to the end when people began to question his character (I find this tough seeing as he was playing through injuries).
It’s hard to fault a kid who had been injured all season long, playing through the pain only to miss the final few games during a 3-9 season. You’ll rarely see a surefire first-rounder give it his all until the tank was empty and he needed to heal for a team that wasn’t going to be playing in the postseason.
Sure, his motor has been questioned, but when he’s healthy and fully motivated, he can be a scary force to be reckoned with.
Malik McDowell is a 6' 6" 295lbs dancing bear. 1st step explosion and quick spin are stupid at that size. Balance is issue though #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Y2ajEHCA62
— Damon B (@DBailey22) April 22, 2017
If he gets that first step, he’s lethal. He can make opposing offensive linemen look silly and that burst through the line is what makes him an elite defensive line prospect. While he is listed as a defensive tackle, his natural position was end and he could make the switch back to that at the next level.
Oh yeah, and he’s an athletic freak in a 6-foot-6, 275-pound body. He ran a 4.90 40-yard dash at that size. Unbelievable. I could see him going in the 15-20 range, but he might even drop into the Detroit Lions’ lap at No. 21. Do they take a chance? The Seahawks are also a good bet at No. 26.