Buccaneers Draft Profile: Robert Nkemdiche DL Ole Miss
By Brian DeFeo
Possibly the most scrutinized player in this years draft, Robert Nkemdiche is undoubtedly a top talent. And here is exactly why the Buccaneers should draft him.
More from Bucs Draft
- The Athletic’s early NFL Mock Draft has the Bucs taking a Top 5 QB in 2024
- Bucs front office reveals one thing the team missed during NFL Draft
- Peter King explains simple reason why Bucs passed on drafting Will Levis
- Mel Kiper Jr. hands out his official Buccaneers draft grade
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers undrafted free agents tracker 2023
The Buccaneers have two major needs, both on defense, at defensive line and the secondary. The movement with the two trades at the top of the draft there is a possibility of a top defensive prospect to drop down to nine but what if they’re all off the board? Jalen Ramsey, Joey Bosa, DeForest Buckner, and Myles Jack are all worthy of top picks and are likely to be gone by number nine. After those players, there is a dip in defensive talent. Yes, Vernon Hargreaves is likely to be on the board but the Bucs have four quality corners, so the main need is on the line. Players like Shaq Lawson, Leonard Floyd, and Sheldon Rankins are the next grouping of pass rushers that are mocked to the Buccaneers, but I don’t like any of their fits. There is only one player I would take with the ninth pick on defense if the top four are off the board and that is Robert Nkemdiche of Ole Miss.
Robert Nkemdiche was a five star recruit and the consensus number one overall player coming out of high school. Only four players, Jadeveon Clowney, Vince Young, Ernie Sims, and Nkemdiche, have been consensus number one players overall coming out of high school since 2002. Not only a defensive end, he also played running back and displayed his speed and burst. In 2012, Nkemdiche verbally committed to play at Clemson University however in early 2013 he changed his mind and decided it was best to join his brother and play at Ole Miss. His mother was a key factor in his decision because she wanted to see her sons play together on the same team.
At college it was more of the same for Robert Nkemdiche.
Freshman year he posted two sacks and 34 tackles in only ten starts. He strained his hamstring, which diminished some playing time but that didn’t stop him from being named to the Freshman All-SEC and First team Freshman All-American teams. Sophomore year was even better as Nkemdiche started every game on the top scoring defense in the nation. This team also led the SEC in tackles for loss per game with 7.6 per game.
More awards came his way after this season as well being a semifinalist for the Lombardi Award, All-SEC First Team, and All-American second team. Junior year continued improvement made him a first team All-American, first defensive lineman to be named a finalist for the Hornung Award, and semifinalist for Lombardi and Bednarik Awards, finishing his college career with 81 career tackles, 6.0 sacks, and 16 tackles for a loss. His numbers may not be eye popping, but he was the primary focus on his team that was a top defense for the two years he was a full time starter.
He did have one problem during his junior season that got him suspended for their Bowl Game. Nkemdiche was arrested in Atlanta in December after police found marijuana in a hotel room. Not only that, he fell 15 feet from the hotel window but only suffered minor injuries. This incident is really the only thing hurting Nkemdiche’s draft stock because his performance on the field shows otherwise. His combine proved that he is still worthy of a top ten pick as well. Running a 4.87 second forty, benching 28 reps, 35.0 inch vertical, and 116.0 inch broad jump just proved he he is explosive and has great potential.
In a recent article posted on ESPN about Robert Nkemdiche, writer Seth Wickersham followed him around for a while just to get to know the real Robert. Outside of wanting to own a pet panther, he seems like a completely normal person. The fact that he wants to own a “Panther” just solidifies why he deserves to be on the Buccaneers. He has never tested positive on a drug test and only has one past incident that is giving teams cause for concern. Without the arrest he would easily be a top ten pick.
Next: Buccaneers Rewind: Draft Edition
I’ve personally been closely following Nkemdiche since 2012 when he was in high school. I remember seeing a highlight video of him and saying, “Wow, this dude is gonna be nasty.” I still believe that. Nkemdiche is a top ten talent with off the field concerns scaring some teams away. I believe that if Jason Licht sees the talent more than the character concerns he could definitely be the pick. Best case scenario for Tampa is to trade back with a team like Miami or Tennessee so they could grab the tackle, corner, or running back that falls to nine, allowing them to still take a great player and pick up more assets in the process.