Ole Miss Football: Robert Nkemdiche suspended for Sugar Bowl, declares for NFL Draft
The Ole Miss Rebels suspended All-American defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche for the 2016 Sugar Bowl after he was charged with marijuana possession after falling from a hotel last weekend.
Robert Nkemdiche is done at Ole Miss.
The second-team All-American was suspended by Ole Miss athletic director Ross Bjork and head football coach Hugh Freeze have suspended him for the Sugar Bowl on New Year’s Day against the Oklahoma State Cowboys after he was charged with marijuana possession last weekend. Nkemdiche fell 15 feet after falling out of a broken out hotel window, but seemingly is healthy enough to play, but he won’t have that privilege.
“Last week, our Athletics Director and I informed Robert that he will not be joining us for the bowl game,” coach Hugh Freeze said in the statement, via The Clarion-Ledger. “In addition, Robert has decided to declare for the NFL Draft, and we will continue to support him as he prepares for the next chapter in his life. I look forward to sharing with NFL general managers and scouts what a unique and talented individual he is. Robert has made an immeasurable impact on our program, and we are forever indebted to him. He and his family will always be part of the Ole Miss family.”
This ends the career for the former No. 1 overall recruit who helped take the Ole Miss football program to the next level in the SEC because he also declared for the 2016 NFL Draft, as widely expected.
“While I wish I could have finished this journey with my team, I am grateful for the opportunity to have been a part of this program, and I am ready to begin the next phase of my life,” Nkemdiche said in a statement, via ESPN. “I have learned a valuable lesson in the last week, and I look forward to showing NFL personnel that this is not representative of my true character. I want to thank my coaches, my teammates and Rebel Nation for their support these past three years, and I look forward to making them proud for years to come.”
Next: 30 Best College Football Quarterbacks of All-Time
Nkemdiche used to sit in the top spot on ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr’s big board but currently sits at No. 9 after the hotel incident. Kiper says when healthy, Nkemdiche is “powerful, quick, football smart and disruptive, but questions about his off-field behavior will result in an interesting pre-draft process for the talented defensive lineman.