NFL Draft 2016: Nkemdiche brothers no longer sure-fire hits

The NFL Draft is on the mind of many college football players, and the Nkemdiche brothers, Robert and Denzel, are finding the draft limelight less flattering right now.

When Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze convinced the highly-recruited Robert Nkemdiche to come join his brother Denzel in Oxford over the dozens of other offers he held, it was looked at as a coup for the newly hired head man, and it was the start of some big names joining the Rebels that year and the years to come.

Both Robert – a defensive lineman – and Denzel – a linebacker – were talked about as being impact players and probable high round NFL picks when their college days were done.

At Ole Miss, Denzel had become a solid though unspectacular outside linebacker. After a standout redshirt freshman season in 2012, he didn’t have quite the huge career once thought. His sophomore and junior seasons were marred by injuries, and now he’s not even considered to be part of the team.

More from College Football News

Robert has been as advertised, showing that he’s not only to be feared on the defensive side of the ball, but that he can run and score touchdowns as well on offense. He has been thought of as a sure-fire first round pick for some time, but recent developments may jeopardize that once solid footing.

As the 2015 season closes, the prospects for both of these talented brothers are suddenly looking more grim, and now the questions of health and character will be all that are discussed for either of these once lauded defensive monsters. The NFL Draft circus is traveling, and they’ll be pitching a big tent in Oxford, Ms.

For Denzel, it seems to have been a long, protracted slide. After his All-American freshman season, he has seen a steady decline in production, mostly related to injuries. This season he seemed to be on somewhat of an upswing again, but then was hospitalized in Oxford last month after an undisclosed incident and did not play in the Rebels’ final two games.

Denzel was once again rushed to the hospital on Dec. 21 after being found unresponsive, and again, no real information is being given about the nature of the emergency. With his already low draft prospects, these two incidents (depending on what caused them and the seriousness of their nature) may have ended any hope Denzel Nkemdiche had of an NFL career.

For brother Robert, the stakes are much higher and if some reports are true, then the two brothers are dragging each other through the mud.

The phrase “synthetic drug” is being used in connection with both Denzel’s two hospital visits and with Robert’s recent fall from a fourth floor Atlanta hotel window, causing him to be hospitalized and suspended for the Rebel’s Sugar Bowl game against Oklahoma State. Once the suspension was levied, Robert announced his intention to enter the NFL Draft.

Robert was arrested for marijuana possession following the incident in Atlanta, but has denied the use of synthetic drugs (as reported by Fox Sports Clay Travis) which would make a user delirious, paranoid or even cause blackouts. Robert threw out the phrase “true character” in a statement made to the media:

"“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. 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.”"

Robert called his poorly-timed bout with legal problems a “lapse in judgement”, and alluded to his core values and spirituality.

The question now becomes, do NFL executives throw up the too-often wielded red flags when it comes to Robert Nkemdiche, or are his talents as a defensive beast enough to overlook his untimely transgressions?

The NFL Draft has a way of making moral compasses spin uncontrollably, and brings out paranoia, racism, and infantile reporting from angles which would never even be otherwise considered. NFL bigwigs love to hold up “the shield” and will appear to balk at the slightest hint of considering anyone who may soil it. What commissioner Robert Goodell and his cronies want is conformism and obedient little step-and-fetch-it fellows who show no hint of individualism.

That word – not the ugly phrase “synthetic drugs” – may be Robert Nkemdiche’s biggest foe.

Whether or not either of the Nkemdiches have partaken in the use of drugs, synthetic or otherwise, may not be the biggest issue. For Robert, he has an almost existential side which is in polar opposition to his fierce on-field personae. One NFL scout described him by calling him a “really different kid” and saying “He may scare some people. He’s strange strange.”

Robert plays the saxophone, and has a deep passion and appreciation for music. He has even cited music from Pink Floyd and The Grateful Dead as helpful to his development on the field. Some of his quotes about music have an almost yogi-like undertone.

“Sax, I’ve always had this weird addiction to it,” Nkemdiche said via Scout.com. “Music in general, but saxophone has been my connection, I guess, with the world. It brings me so close and gives me this weird kind of peace and relaxation. I just love it, and I just love the fact that you can speak so much through music.

“Music is the connection to everybody. I love football, but football only reaches a certain amount of people. Not everybody can relate to football. Music? Everybody connects to music. Music is played anywhere you go. Music is the sound that everybody can connect to in any way.

“Everybody can relate through music, and you don’t have to use words, especially with organic music with instruments. You can make people understand you and really feel you. It’s your instrument in this world. How much do you give back? How much are you going to let the world use you in the ways it can use you?”

Is the NFL ready for Ravi Nkemdiche? And does this not sound similar to another once highly-prized player named Ricky Williams?

Both Nkdmdiche brothers (although obviously more so for Robert) will be thoroughly scoured and scrubbed by NFL scouts and executives who might consider calling either name. Robert’s sure-fire first round draft status may even fall despite the polish and preening given to him. The talk of drug use may only actually be a scapegoat to the fact that Robert Nkemdiche is far too much a free spirit to risk, and the whiff of individuality or spiritualism will become the basis to back off looking at him as a high draft pick. Some already have.

More saturday blitz: Forbes 20 Most Valuable College Football Programs

Make no mistake, both Nkemdiche’s can play football and play it well. One has to show that he can stay healthy enough to do it. The other has to unfairly show that he can set aside his personality to play by the NFL’s draconian rules that seem to encourage negating one’s accomplishments rather than promoting selflessness and teamwork.

The two things that scare NFL execs the most are drug use and a non-conforming personality. The Nkemdiches may be guilty of both.

Home/College Football News