Andrew Dowell, Michigan State: 2019 NFL Draft

CAREER NOTES: Four-year letterwinner and three-year starter at Star linebacker finished his career with 260 tackles, including 15 for losses with 5.5 sacks . . . also had 16 pass break-ups, three fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one interception . . . played in 51 career games, including 34 starts (29 consecutive to close out his career) . . . two-time member of the team’s Eagles leadership council . . . his twin brother, David, plays safety at Michigan State . . . his younger brother, Michael, also is a safety for the Spartans . . . earned his bachelor’s degree in advertising management in December 2018 . . . played in the Tropicana Spiral All-Star Game in Daytona Beach, Florida, on Jan. 13, 2019.

2018 SEASON (SENIOR): Named honorable mention All-Big Ten by both coaches and media . . . earned MSU Tommy Love Award for most improved player on defense . . . started all 13 games, playing a total of 595 snaps . . . recorded a career-high 97 tackles as a senior,  which ranked 10th in the Big Ten . . . also recorded career highs in tackles for loss (8.5), pass break-ups (9) and sacks (3.5) . . . had three games with 2.0 TFL, including in back-to-back games (Arizona State and Indiana) along with Michigan game . . . ranked second among linebackers and fifth on defense overall with 165 production points during the regular season . . . had seven tackles, including a half sack (4 yards) and a pass break-up in his final collegiate game in the Redbox Bowl vs. Oregon . . . logged five tackles, along with 0.5 TFL and one pass break-up in Rutgers game, recording 15 production points . . . posted game-high 10 tackles at Nebraska for his second-straight double-figure tackle total and fourth of the season, also posting 0.5 TFL, forcing and recovering a fumble and one pass break-up, totaling 27 production points, which led linebackers and ranked second overall on defense . . . registered career-high 14 tackles against Ohio State, his third double-figure tackle total, adding one tackle for loss and one QB hurry . . . tallied six stops at Maryland . . . logged four tackles and career-high three pass break-ups in Purdue game, posting 12 production points to share linebacker unit lead . . . posted first double-digit tackle outing of the season with 10 stops vs. Michigan along with 2.0 tackles for loss, tying career-high for third time in TFLs, and adding one sack and one pass break-up; led all Spartans with 25 production points against the Wolverines . . . tallied seven tackles and one pass break-up after starting Penn State game, registering 15 production points . . . started Northwestern game and logged seven tackles and one QB hurry . . . started against Central Michigan and recorded six stops, one pass break-up and one QB hurry, logging 11 production points; named to Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week for his performance against the Chippewas . . . started game at Indiana and shared game and team-leading honors with nine tackles, including career-high 2.0 sacks, posting 19 production points to rank second among linebackers and tied for third on defense, as well as earning MSU Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance . . . started at Arizona State and ranked tied for second on defense by tallying six stops, including team and game-best tying two TFLs, which was a new career-high and logging 12 production points, ranking second among linebackers and tied for second among defense . . . started Utah State game at Star linebacker and posted six tackles, ranking third among linebackers and tied for fourth total on defense.

2017 SEASON (JUNIOR): Started all 13 games at Star linebacker . . . ranked second on the team with 74 tackles, including 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack, adding four pass break-ups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery . . . had five or more stops in 10 of the 13 games . . . tallied four tackles against No. 18 Washington State in the Holiday Bowl . . . posted one tackle, one pass break-up and one fumble recovery at Rutgers, with the fumble recovery coming on Rutgers’ first play from scrimmage, setting up an MSU field goal to take a 10-0 lead; finished game with 12 production points to rank second among linebackers and overall defense . . . tallied five tackles against Maryland . . . posted four stops at No. 11 Ohio State . . . logged five stops with one QB hurry in victory over No. 7 Penn State . . . tallied seven tackles at Northwestern, matching his brother’s tackle total, and added one pass break-up and one forced fumble . . . notched season-high 10 tackles, including 0.5 tackles for loss, in Indiana win, notching 19 production points to rank second among linebacker unit . . . in win at Minnesota, shared top tackles honor with his brother with seven stops each, including identical five solo and two assists, with one assist with his brother . . . recorded nine tackles, including half a tackle for loss, in win over No. 7 Michigan, including teaming up with his brother on one stop in the first quarter and posting tackle on back-to-back plays in the second quarter, logging tackle on kickoff after MSU TD and adding stop on UM’s first play of ensuing drive . . . notched five tackles against Iowa, including half a tackle for loss, while adding one pass break-up and one QB hurry, finishing with 12 production points, ranking second among linebacking corps and defense . . . named to Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week for his performance against the Hawkeyes . . . was one of game captains for Notre Dame game, posting six stops . . . logged six tackles including one sack (11 yards) against Western Michigan . . . posted five stops in Bowling Green game.

2016 SEASON (SOPHOMORE): Ranked fourth on the team in tackles with 67 (5.6 avg.) . . . saw action in all 12 games, including eight starts at Star linebacker . . . ranked second on the team in special teams tackles (7), including a team-best five on punt returns . . . recorded six tackles at No. 8 Penn State  . . . was starting Star linebacker against No. 2 Ohio State and posted six tackles, including one TFL along with one pass break-up and one QB hurry . . . started Rutgers game and shared the team lead with six tackles, adding game-best two QB hurries . . . logged five tackles including one for loss of 6 yards after starting at Star linebacker at Maryland . . . started Northwestern game at Star linebacker and matched his season high with nine tackles . . . started at Star linebacker vs. BYU and notched nine stops, logging 11 production points, which led the linebacker corps and was second overall on defense . . . was starting Star linebacker at Indiana and had eight tackles and his first career pass break-up  . . . logged four tackles at No. 18 Notre Dame, including first career sack for loss of 6 yards . . . made first career start in Furman game and made a smashing debut, snaring an interception that was selected as ESPN SportsCenter’s Top 10 No. 1 play of the day . . . tallied eight tackles against the Paladins; named Spartan “The One” team award recipient after posting team-high 18 production points on defense.

2015 SEASON (FRESHMAN): True freshman played in 13 games, primarily on special teams . . . was one of six true freshmen to earn a letter for the Spartans in 2015 . . . collected 22 tackles, including one for a 2-yard loss . . . led team with 10 tackles on special teams (all on kickoffs) . . . tallied three tackles vs. Penn State, including two on kickoffs . . . recorded a season-high seven tackles and recovered a fumble in the win over Air Force; had 12 production points against the Falcons.

HIGH SCHOOL AND PERSONAL DATA: Ranked among the nation’s Top 300 prospects by Scout.com (No. 197) . . . rated among the country’s top running backs by Scout.com (No. 26) and 247Sports.com (No. 40) . . . listed among the Midwest’s top seniors by ESPN.com (No. 116) . . . ranked among Ohio’s top prospects by Scout.com (No. 10), 247Sports.com (No. 21) and ESPN.com (No. 48) . . . two-year starter for Coach Rick Finotti at St. Edward High School in Lakewood, Ohio . . . named to The Associated Press Division I All-Ohio first team and Cleveland.com All-Star Team as a senior . . . selected National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete . . . recorded 153 tackles (93 solos, 60 assists) as a starting safety in 2014, with two for losses, six interceptions and 11 pass break-ups . . . returned three of his six interceptions for TDs . . . rushed 47 times for 241 yards (5.1 avg.) and six touchdowns as a senior . . . had 10 receptions for 148 yards (14.8 avg.) and three scores in 2014 . . . led Eagles special teams in production points . . . ran 16 times for 61 yards and a score in St. Edward’s 31-21 victory over Huber Heights Wayne in the 2014 Division I state championship game . . . made several big plays down the stretch vs. Wayne, including a 14-yard grab on a third-and-9 play on the Eagles’ final scoring drive and rushing for 14 yards on a fourth-and-12 play late to ice the game . . . returned an interception 43 yards for a score and had a 40-yard reception to set up a TD in the regional final/state semifinal vs. Hudson . . . carried 158 times for 968 yards (6.1 avg.) and 13 TDs as a junior . . . had 17 catches for 246 yards (14.5 avg.) and three TDs in 2013 . . . also played basketball and ran track . . . son of Will and Anita Dowell . . . born Nov. 16, 1996.

Dowell is an active quick linebacker who excels in coverage and being a big factor in the secondary. Originally set to redshirt as a freshman at Michigan State, Dowell impressed the coaching staff so much he ended up finishing his Spartans career as a four-year letterman.

Possesses good coverage ability. He gets depth in his drops and can open his hips to run with slot receivers and running backs. Dowell has proven to be a durable and productive linebacker starting the last 29 games in conjunction with 34 career starts. In his final collegiate season Dowell was second on the team with a career-high 97 tackles, which also ranked 10^th in the Big Ten and his 8.5 tackles for loss tied for third on the Spartans defense. He added in nine pass break-ups (ranking 3^rd) and tied for second on the team with 3.5 sacks.

NFL scouts want to see more evidence that Dowell can remain on the third field as a three-down linebacker. Dowell used his Tropical Bowl invitation to relay to interested teams that he can be an impact player with the game in front of him. He may not be a great take on ‘backer’ and can struggle to get off blocks, but he flies around the field with good awareness. He is coachable and hustles. 

Feel he can make an impact core special teams’ player, providing Dowell with an opportunity to earn snaps at the linebacker position. In a league where they want to spread out defenses and throw the football increases the best values of Dowell’s game.