2017 NFL Draft watch: Malik McDowell

There isn’t a lot of news going on in the NFL right now and instead of forcing some new content out there, I think it would be fun to look at some big names in the 2017 NFL Draft.

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There are a lot of different ways to look at the 2017 NFL Draft. You can look at a player for the Tennessee Titans and their two 1st round draft picks. You can look for a player who might be a concern in the division. You can look at a player who is a lock to go to a team projected to have a higher pick like the Cleveland Browns. You can even look at a player from a value standpoint to see what the Titans could get in a trade if he was still available at their pick.

So, no player is off limits so just sit back and enjoy reading up on the top players in the 2017 NFL Draft and plan your college television viewing schedule to accommodate the players you want to see most.

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Who?

I honestly didn’t know a lot about Malik McDowell myself a week ago, but then I saw this tweet from Todd McShay saying that “Still have a ton of prospects to study this summer but so far the best I’ve seen is Michigan State DT Malik McDowell.”

That is a huge statement in a 2017 NFL Draft that is stacked with talent all across the field.

So, I decided to take a look at him and see exactly what the buzz was about.

What does he do well?

He is a 6’6″ defensive linemen who primarily lines up in a 1-technique or over the center, so going into this you have to take that into account. Just how much impact can someone be playing over the center? Outside of a handful of players in the last five years, no one has really wreaked havoc as a pure nose tackle/1-tech in college football.

Well, while his stats don’t pop off the screen he is actually a very interesting player.

He has great length and size and he has great balance. Rarely do you get all three, and even players like DeForrest Buckner didn’t show all at times (Buckner was on the ground A LOT in his matchup with Michigan State).

On top of that, he shows quickness and violent hands that gave some of the best interior linemen in the nation issues, including Ryan Kelly the center from Alabama. He also shows some finesse in his game, being able to throw in a spin move on occasion.

Where does he need to improve?

Like I said, he doesn’t blow up the box score, even when he is making plays. If I had to pick something to change with him, I would make him play some more 3-tech and maybe some EDGE looks in 3-down fronts.

I would also like to see him play more this year and not rotate as much. I believe he struggled with some injuries that limited his time, but that shouldn’t be the case this year if everything goes well.

Does he fit with the Tennessee Titans?

Does he fit? Yes, he is big, violent, versatile, gives a ton of effort, and comes from a winning program.

Will they draft him? Almost definitely not. The Titans are stacked at defensive line and really have too many guys there as it is. If the Titans did something really dumb like trade Jurrell Casey or if some young guys don’t progress then maybe they look at him, but it is a long shot.

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Potential selection range?

Here is where the guessing comes in. If he has an identical year to this year, then I would expect him on the tail end of the top-40.

However, if he is healthy and gets some looks at 3-tech and EDGE, he could possibly sneak in as far as the top-20.

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