McDowell sets final official visit

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Five-star defensive end Malik McDowell already has four official visits in the books. On Monday, he decided on where he would take his fifth and final official visit.

"I just got through meeting with Coach [Urban] Meyer and Coach [Kerry] Coombs at Malik's school," Malik's father, Greg McDowell, said. "We'll be going down this weekend and taking that trip down there."

Ohio State had been scheduled to receive the final trip when official visit plans were first set after his senior season, but McDowell changed up his schedule and took an official visit to Michigan State this past weekend. LSU had been scheduled to receive last weekend's official visit, so there was a question heading into the week whether Ohio State or LSU would receive the last visit.

McDowell has made unofficial visits to Ohio State in the past, and the elder McDowell said he is impressed with head coach Urban Meyer.

"I like Coach Meyer from his days at the University of Florida," Greg McDowell said. "The proof is in the pudding for me. He has the credentials, the national titles, the winning record and the output of players he has put into the pros. That's all something we're looking at and I want Malik to recognize also."

Michigan State has been the team generating the most buzz in McDowell's recruitment over the last month. His father and mother both joined him during the weekend in East Lansing.

"Of course Malik had a good time," Greg McDowell said. "Overall, the visit went good for me. I had a pretty good time.

"I went down there Saturday; I didn't go the whole weekend. That day and a half I spent down there was pretty cool. I met a lot of the coaching staff, the support staff and the football team. As far as myself, it went good and I know it went good for Malik. He enjoyed himself."

Previous official visits were taken to Alabama, Florida and Florida State. Michigan also remains in contention, and coaches from several of those schools will be in McDowell's home or school later this week.

"We're going back up to the school to talk with the coach from LSU later on today," Greg McDowell said. "We'll be meeting with Jimbo Fisher from Florida State either tomorrow or Thursday. Michigan State and (Michigan), I believe those will be the next visits we'll get, so it will be a crazy week."

The 6-foot-6, 290-pound McDowell plans to announce his decision on National Signing Day at Southfield (Mich.) High School.

Josh Helmholdt is the Midwest Region football recruiting analyst for Rivals.com. You can click here to follow him on Twitter.

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