Who Is Malik McDowell? 6 Facts About The NFL Defensive Tackle

Quick Facts

It is without argument that the Seattle Seahawks will forever question the mystery behind what happened to their second round (35th overall) pick of the 2017 NFL Draft – Malik McDowell. The lad was brought in to perform a vital function as a defensive tackle for The Legion of Boom team, nevertheless, he was waived in the saddest of circumstances without even playing his first professional league match with his team. What an awry way to start a sports career!

While most of us still cower over the fate that befell the young man, how about we look at 6 facts about the defensive tackle as we wish him a speedy recovery and of course hope that a team will come asking for his services going by how good he was in high school and college.

Who Is Malik McDowell?

Malik was born on June 20, 1996, in Detroit, Michigan to Greg McDowell (father) and Joya Crowe (mother). He is of African American ethnicity and of American nationality. There isn’t much information pertaining to whether he has siblings or not or what his childhood was like. Nevertheless, being that he took to football from high school and was pretty good at it, we can fairly assume that his childhood was fun.

For high school, Malik McDowell was enrolled at Loyola High School in Detroit, Michigan where he stayed for sometime before finishing off at Southfield High School in Southfield, Michigan. The kid was one of the best defensive tackles (DT) as he was ranked the second best playing DT in his class and 26th overall in the entire nation. For his sheer brilliance at tackling, speed, strength, and durability at such a young age, Rivals.com branded him a five-star recruit and it was on such high standing that Malik McDowell committed to play football for the Spartans of Michigan State University in 2014.

In his freshman year, Malik played all 13 games of the season and kept an impressive form throughout the three seasons he played college football. He was adjudged the best defensive lineman and named in the Second Team All-Big Ten in 2016. In December of that same year, he announced his intention to enter the 2017 NFL Draft as he had already signed with an agent.

It is from this point that his story begins to get interesting as not only did he make it into the NFL on an impressive note, but what happened thereafter will make for an interesting reading, though we all wish him a speedy recovery.

6 Facts About The NFL Defensive Tackle

1. NFL Career

Prior to his drafting, he got an invitation to the NFL Combine to which he attended and participated in all the drills except the short shuttle and three-cone drill. He was also not found wanting in Michigan State’s Pro Day just as his zeal to make it into the NFL saw him attending some private workouts organized by teams like the Washington Redskins, Philadelphia Eagles, Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings, Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, and Miami Dolphins.

Malik McDowell was drafted into the apex American football league as the 35th overall in the second round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks as a much needed Defensive tackle to boost their team.

2. Prospects in the NFL

Prior to entering the league, Malik McDowell alongside Jonathan Allen and Solomon Thomas were the best defensive linemen in the league who can play any position on a defensive line. Their versatility made them highly priced but while fate has taken its toll on Malik, the others are simply having a good run in their careers.

3. Contract and Salary

McDowell’s first professional contract was worth $6.95 million with a signing bonus of $3.19 million and $4.40 million guaranteed for a term of four years. At this amount, the lad would have been basking in the euphoria of being in NFL heaven, but it was not meant to be for Malik.

4. Injury

Malik McDowell is more popular for his injury than the exploits he could have done in the NFL. After signing with the Seahawks, and just a few weeks to their training camp, Malik was involved in an ATV accident which caused him an extensive brain and eye trauma which would probably see his career end before it even began.

Nevertheless, the dogged footballer has maintained in a that his injury is not life-threatening and that he would make a come back to the sports he loves wholeheartedly sooner than many pessimists had predicted. That notwithstanding, the Seattle Seahawks waived him on July 26, 2018, for a non-football injury hoping to make a defensive pick in the next draft.

5. Body Statistics

Malik McDowell stands at an impressive 6 feet 6 inches or 1.98 m in height, weighing as much as 299 lbs or 136 kg. He has an arm length of 34 3⁄4 in (0.88 m) while his hand size is 10 1⁄2 in (0.27 m).

6. Relationship and Love Life

For now, the footballer is not known to be dating anyone that we know of, more so going by what he is currently passing through in trying to get back on his feet and play football again. A relationship with the opposite sex might be the last thing on his mind now or perhaps he is in one but keeping it away from the public.

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