A father and a top recruit, D.D. Bowie is still maturing

MORTON - More often than not, D.D. Bowie will do what he can to help those around him.

The Morton four-star athlete moved from receiver to quarterback in order to pump some life into the Panthers' offense last fall as they won the region and finished 8-4. He lends personal belongings to friends so frequently it annoys his grandmother Rutha.

“He’ll give you the clothes off his back. He makes me so mad about that," she said. "He just gives everything he’s got away."

But changing diapers? For the Ole Miss commit and Mississippi State target, that's out of the question.

“Nah, I don’t do that," Bowie said. "I just don’t like changing diapers unless she pees. I can’t do the other one.”

It's a part of the growing process, which some close to him will tell you is still very much underway for the 18-year-old Bowie, who is the third-highest rated player in the state of Mississippi, according to 247Sports Composite's rankings, and also the father of two daughters, who are 1-year-old and 2 months, respectively.

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Bowie will announce his college destination between Ole Miss, Mississippi State, LSU and Alabama on Wednesday. He's been committed to the Rebels for over a year, but the Bulldogs have made a strong final run and are certainly in contention for the 6-foot-1, 170-pound athlete.

He was a Dandy Dozen selection and a member of The Clarion-Ledger's All-State team. He's rated as the No. 131 overall prospect in the country as well.

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When Bowie — who said he's always wanted to be a father — was 17, he was excited about his first child. Those emotions weren't matched by some members of his family.

“It was heartbreaking," said his mother Regina. "He’s very young and still has his whole life ahead of him.”

The mother of his children and his girlfriend, Chelsi White, was nervous to share the news with her parents. Rutha was angry with him.

“Man, what are you doing? What are you thinking, son? It’s hard enough for your mom, your parents, your grandma to put food on the table for you," said Deuce McAllister, who is Bowie's cousin as well as a Morton High product, former Ole Miss standout and New Orleans Saints running back. "Now you just added not one more plate, but two more plates."

Bailee, the oldest of the two girls, stays with Bowie and his family, while Bella lives with White, 20, and her family.

Rutha admits it's hard to help raise the children, but someone has to do it. The most difficult part, she says, is when she doesn't have the money to afford Pampers.

"I just say, 'God, see me through this.' And I'm going to make it," Rutha said.

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Bowie isn't a man of many words. By nature, he's quiet and reserved, opting to open up only after he's become comfortable enough with someone. He's met his father before, but his dad hasn't been in the picture for much of Bowie's life.

Rutha, who works in the school's cafeteria at Morton, played the role of mom while Regina played the role of dad, Bowie said. Now at 18, he's essentially a kid raising children.

“It’s a work in progress and he’ll tell you. The goal is to be perfect and no one is ever going to be perfect," McAllister said. "But at the end of the day, he has the two young ladies to answer to."

RELATED: Get to know the Dandy Dozen: D.D. Bowie

White said for the most part, "D.D. is still the same D.D.," but he's around more now that he's a father.

Others notice he's considering more than himself now. His mother said fatherhood is a learning process and he still has a long way to go.

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Shay Hodge, who also played at Morton, starred at receiver for Ole Miss. He's the all-time leader in receiving yards with 2,646, second in career touchdown catches (22) and third in career receptions (173).

Hodge has known Bowie his whole life and when he found out Bowie was going to be a father, he didn't say much because he became a dad when he was 14. But he knows the journey Bowie is about to embark on.

“It helped me a lot because I had to grow up too when I was in college," Hodge said. "It just gave me more reason to do the right things, to walk the straight line instead of bending corners because you don’t want to teach your kids that. You want to be the example."

Where Bowie attempts to set that example remains to be seen. He visited Mississippi State last weekend and Bulldog coaches made an in-home visit on Thursday.

Ole Miss coaches made an in-home visit Wednesday night, and Bowie is on campus for an official visit this weekend. White and his grandmother made the trip with him.

“I’m just like everybody else — lost," Regina said of her son's recruitment. "At first, I thought I was found. But this past week or so, I’m back in the clouds.”

Bowie admitted he already knew where he was going to college. White, who previously attended Jackson State, plans on finishing her final two years of school wherever he decides to go.

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The sense is there will be a sigh of relief once the recruiting process is finally over. Earlier in the week, Bowie said he wished national signing day was already here so he can go ahead and focus on just one school.

Family members share those sentiments.

“It’ll be very relieved. Like I told him, he has a lot of people who want him to go where they want him to go," Regina said. "No matter where he decides he wants to go and be a part of their family I’m going to stand behind him. Wherever he chooses to go, he’s got to go get that education, he’s got to stay there and be a part of that family."

And he has to take care of the one he's created back home too.

Contact Antonio Morales at 601-961-7117 or amorales2@gannett.com . Follow him on Twitter .