Five-star defensive end recruit Malik McDowell committed to Michigan State on Wednesday, but there could be a slight problem. McDowell went to high school in Michigan. For whatever reason, his parents don’t want him staying in-state for college. They made that clear before national signing day, but McDowell went and committed to MSU anyway. The issue is he’s only 17.
McDowell’s age makes him a minor, which means his legal guardian must also sign his letter of intent. Malik’s father Greg was with him when he chose the Spartans on Wednesday, but his father is not his legal guardian. McDowell’s mother, Joya Crowe, will have to sign the letter before Malik can make it official.
“I’m not legally able to do it because I’m not the custodial parent,” Greg told The Detroit News after McDowell made his announcement. “She has to sign it and I have to sign it, too. I don’t know when it will happen. Malik has to handle that with his Mom. I’m willing to do whatever my son wants. It’s been a long process and an uneasy process.
“That’s something he’ll have to deal with, because at the end of the day it’s all about him and he has to work it out.”
Joya previously told reporters that there is a reason she does not want Malik going to Michigan State, though she would not reveal the reason.
“We don’t want him at MSU,” she told the Detroit Free Press earlier this week. “Something happened, I don’t want to put it out there what it was, but I had a bad experience at MSU.”
For all we know Joya is planning to sign the letter and simply hasn’t gotten around to it yet. Having said that, we have seen parents get in the way of high schoolers committing to schools in the past. It wouldn’t shock us if she held out.
H/T Dr. Saturday
Photo via Twitter/Tim Sullivan
