EAST LANSING -- Before the 2016 season, when Malik McDowell was on just about every preseason All-America list, the Spartans junior defensive tackle spoke of potentially jumping into the top three of the NFL Draft and helping the Spartans repeat as Big Ten champions.
The season didn't go as planned, between a slew of injuries for McDowell, constant double teams that limited his production and Michigan State's plummet to 3-9 overall.
Yet after all that, when McDowell checked his NFL Draft status after the season, he still got feedback that he'd be a first-round pick.
That was enough for the standout from Detroit to make the decision to leave East Lansing and declare himself eligible for the 2017 draft.