Marcus Dowtin facts for kids

Marcus Dowtin was born on January 22, 1989. He is a former American football player who played as a linebacker. A linebacker is a defensive player who lines up behind the defensive line and can tackle, rush the passer, or cover receivers. Marcus Dowtin started his professional career with the New York Jets in 2012. He joined them as an undrafted free agent, meaning he wasn't chosen in the main player draft but was signed afterward. Before playing professionally, Dowtin played college football at the University of Georgia and later at North Alabama.

Dowtin also played for several other teams during his career. These included the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and Seattle Seahawks. He also played in Canada for the Toronto Argonauts.

Marcus Dowtin's Early Football Days

Growing Up and High School Football

Marcus Dowtin grew up in Maryland and attended Bishop McNamara High School. Later, he went to Fork Union Military Academy High School. He was a very talented player in high school. In 2008, he was chosen for the SuperPrep All-Mid-Atlantic team. He also made the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Super Southern 100 list.

During his senior year in 2007, Marcus showed off his skills. He made 76 tackles, which means he stopped the opposing team's players 76 times. He also had two sacks, which is when a defensive player tackles the quarterback behind the line of scrimmage. He recovered three fumbles and made one interception, catching a pass meant for the other team. Besides playing defense, Marcus was also a great running back. He ran for 1,202 yards and scored 15 touchdowns in high school. Experts ranked him as one of the best weakside linebackers in the nation.

Marcus Dowtin's College Football Journey

Playing for the Georgia Bulldogs

Marcus Dowtin started his college football career at the University of Georgia. He played for the Georgia Bulldogs for three seasons.

In his first year, as a freshman, Marcus played in 13 games. He recorded 17 tackles and caused one fumble. A forced fumble is when a defensive player hits the ball carrier, causing them to drop the ball.

During his second year, as a sophomore, Marcus played in 11 games and started in 4 of them. He had a strong season with 57 tackles and 2 sacks. In one game against Oklahoma State, he made 8 tackles. He also helped Georgia win a close game against South Carolina with 6 tackles. Later, he had 3 tackles and deflected a pass against Arkansas.

In his junior year, Marcus played in 11 games and started 2. He continued to be a key player, recording 57 tackles, 1.5 sacks, and an interception. He had a great game against Florida, making 10 tackles. He also made 10 tackles in a game against Auburn.

Moving to North Alabama

For his senior year, Marcus Dowtin transferred to the University of North Alabama. He continued to play as a linebacker for the North Alabama Lions.

In his senior season, Marcus had an impressive start. In a game against Central Oklahoma, he made 9 tackles, forced a fumble, and had an interception. This helped North Alabama win the game. He also had 3 tackles and half a sack against Glenville State. In another game, he led his team with 10 tackles, forced 2 fumbles, had a sack, and deflected a pass against Abilene Christian. Towards the end of the season, he had 10 tackles, 2 sacks, and a forced fumble against Valdosta State, helping his team win. Because of his excellent play, Marcus was named Defensive Player of the Week twice during his senior year.

Marcus Dowtin's Professional Football Career

Starting with the New York Jets

After college, Marcus Dowtin signed with the New York Jets in 2012. He joined them as an undrafted free agent. This means he wasn't picked in the NFL Draft but was signed by a team afterward. He was initially released from the main roster but then re-signed to the team's practice squad. A practice squad is a group of players who train with the team but don't play in games unless they are moved to the active roster.

In October 2012, Marcus was moved to the Jets' active roster. He made his official NFL debut on October 21 against the New England Patriots. He played in a few games before being waived by the team in November 2012. Being "waived" means a team releases a player from their contract.

Playing for Other NFL Teams

After leaving the Jets, Marcus Dowtin continued his journey in the NFL.

• Philadelphia Eagles: He joined the Philadelphia Eagles' practice squad in December 2012. He stayed with them for a few months before being released in April 2013.
• Buffalo Bills: The very next day, the Buffalo Bills "claimed him off waivers." This means they picked him up after the Eagles released him. He played for the Bills until October 2013.
• New York Giants: In November 2013, Marcus was signed to the New York Giants' practice squad. He was with the Giants until March 2014.
• Seattle Seahawks: He then signed with the Seattle Seahawks in August 2014 but was released later that month.

Playing in Canada

Marcus Dowtin also played football in Canada. In October 2014, he joined the practice roster of the Toronto Argonauts, a team in the Canadian Football League (CFL). He was released by the Argonauts in November 2014.