#21

Michael Dowell

Senior defensive back for Miami (OH). 2023: 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, 62 tackles.

DB · Miami (OH) · Sr. · #21

6′1″ · 221 lb · North Ridgeville, OH

CFB Index 65 · #138 of 538 safetiesLow confidenceMiami (OH) 2023 alumnus

Recruiting

3★

S recruit

No. 459 nationally · Signed with Michigan State

Statement game17 tackles · 1.5 TFL · 1 sackat Bowling Green (FBS) · L 13-17

Top 0.1% tackles game since 2021.

His career numbers, season by season

The story

4 defensive back for Miami (OH). 2023: 2 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, 62 tackles.

Signed as a 3-star recruit to Michigan State in 2018.
Transferred from Michigan State to Miami (OH) in 2022.

His career, year by year

How it ended

Five seasons at Miami (OH), 226 tackles — his college career is complete.

His career

Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.

2018

Signed with Michigan State3-star out of St. Edward

202211 games

Entered the portal

Career arc

Recruit

★★★

#459 national

CFB

College

2 teams

2019–2023

NFL

NFL Draft

—

Not drafted

Coaching lineage · 2019–2023

1 coach

2019–2023

Chuck Martin

Miami (OH)

Played his entire career under Chuck Martin.

2023 snapshot

Season context · Team result + system

2019Michigan State7-6HC: Mark Dantonio · Balanced

2020Michigan State2-5HC: Mel Tucker · Balanced

2021Michigan State11-2HC: Mel Tucker · Run-leaning

2022Miami (OH)6-7HC: Chuck Martin · Run-leaning, slow tempo

2023Miami (OH)11-3HC: Chuck Martin · Run-heavy, slow tempo

Where this defender ranks vs the field

Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort

65Quality starter #138 of 538?

Medium confidence7 metrics · season cumulative

Elite: passes defended (89th percentile). Strength: tackles (88th percentile). Concern: sacks (24th percentile).

Box-score production (7)

Passes defended#254 / 2842 · 89th pct

Tackles#319 / 2842 · 88th pct

Solo tackles#372 / 2842 · 86th pct

Interceptions#148 / 827 · 72nd pct

Tackles for loss#904 / 2842 · 66th pct

3.5

QB hurries#1486 / 2842 · 24th pct

Sacks#1503 / 2842 · 24th pct

0.0

Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.

Splits & context

Splits · Per-game

2023 season · 13 games

Home/Road · Season halves

Home vs Road

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Home5g	4.2	0.4	0.0	0.4
Road8g	5.1	0.2	0.0	0.4

First half vs Second half

	TKL/g	TFL/g	SACK/g	PD/g
Weeks 1-77g	3.9	0.2	0.0	0.3
Weeks 8+6g	5.8	0.3	0.0	0.5

Supporting cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2026 season

Head Coach

Chuck Martin

Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.

Awards

Player standing · 2023

Starter

Tackle volume for the position at a full-time starter's level.

Recognition

Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Production · CFB Index Score

65 · #138 of 538 safeties

Three-star recruit. Now #138 at the position.

Career stats

Season	Team
2023	Miami (OH)	62	34	3.5	0.0	5	2	--
2022	Miami (OH)	82	45	4.5	2.0	5	--	--
2021	Michigan State	40	26	2.0	0.0	3	--	--
2020	Michigan State	27	20	0.5	0.5	1	--	--
2019	Michigan State	15	7	0.0	0.0	1	--	--
Career		226	132	10.5	2.5	15	2	--

Signature game

SIGNATURE GAME · Week 4 · 2023

W 62–20

vs Delaware State

3 TOT · 3 SOLO · 1 TFL

Dominant 42-point win at home against Delaware State.

With B. Gabbert — 180 yds · 2 TD · 0 INT · QBR 78.2 · 11 rush yds (2 car) · A. Smith — 48 rush yds (1 car)

Game log

Game log · Week-by-week

2023 season · 13 games

Box score · CFBD

Wk	Opp	TKL	SOLO	TFL	INT	PD	Note
Wk 1	L 3-38@ Miami	2	2	0.0	1	0
Wk 2	W 41-28@ Massachusetts	4	1	0.0	1	1
Wk 3	W 31-24@ Cincinnati	5	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 4	W 62-20vs Delaware State	3	3	1.0	—	0
Wk 5	W 23-3@ Kent State	5	4	0.5	—	0
Wk 6	W 27-0vs Bowling Green	2	1	0.0	—	1
Wk 7	W 34-21@ Western Michigan	6	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 8	L 17-21vs Toledo	6	3	0.0	—	1
Wk 9	W 30-16@ Ohio	7	2	0.0	—	0
Wk 11	W 19-0vs Akron	2	1	0.0	—	0
Wk 12	W 23-10vs Buffalo	8	6	1.0	—	0	Season-high 8 tackles
Wk 13	W 17-15@ Ball State	8	5	1.0	—	1
Wk 14	W 23-14@ Toledo	4	2	0.0	—	1
Total		62	34	3.5	2	5

Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology