Griffin McDowell's locked in on Mississippi State
THE LATEST: Late in June, Griffin McDowell committed to Mississippi State over schools like Georgia State, Indiana, Kansas, Marshall and Troy. The 6-foot-4, 270 pound offensive tackle out of Leesburg (Ga.) Lee County had visited Starkville (Miss.) once at that time and he immediately felt connected to the program. He's now been on the Bulldog's commitment list for just over a month and he is feeling good about his decision.
IN HIS OWN WORDS: "I've visited twice Mississippi State twice now," said McDowell. "I was there for the June camp and then I went back for Big Dawg camp. The vibe there seemed like everything is about football and it would be somewhere I would want to be.
"The feeling I had was all the coaches were about the players and it was a family. What pushed me to commit is how they will give me the effect of trying my best for everything, working hard, and being in a family.
"A lot of schools have backed off since I committed, but I still get letters from Kansas and Troy, and Georgia stay in touch with me.
"I talk to coach [John] Hevesey (offensive line) and coach [D.J.] Looney (tight ends) a lot. We talk about how excited we are for both of our upcoming seasons and my opportunities at Mississippi State.
"As of this moment I am all for Mississippi State. I'm not planning on visiting other schools. Mississippi State is getting a very hard working and coachable player that is really passionate about what he does whether it's school or football. I'm a very fast moving and physical offensive linemen."
RIVALS REACTION: Mississippi State did a great job of identifying McDowell early in 2017 and getting him over to Starkville early in the summer. He is a prospect with upside. He has great size, he has that nasty streak and McDowell is the type of player who has gone to Mississippi State in years past and made other schools regret that they didn't pursue him. He is building a strong relationship with the MSU coaches and he is strong with his commitment.
