Defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche, the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect in the 2013 college football signing class, will commit to the University of Mississippi as soon as this week, according to multiple sources.
Robert Nkemdiche expected to commit to Ole Miss soon
The nation’s No. 1 overall high school prospect is expected to announce his commitment to the Rebels within two weeks, and he could be bringing some of the nation’s best talent with him.
Spruce Derden-US PRESSWIRE
In addition, Nkemdiche’s brother Denzel told reporters following Ole Miss’ 41-21 win over Mississippi State on Saturday that former Clemson commit Robert would choose a new school in two weeks’ time, but did not specify that his brother would commit to the Rebels.
“It’s done. Right now it’s a matter of timing, and it could be within the week, depending on the family,” a source in the program told SB Nation Saturday.
While it would be an unprecedented boon for a Rebel program that finished 2-10 just one season ago, how close the 6’4, 275-pound defensive lineman from Grayson High School in Loganville, GA really is to Ole Miss is the worst-kept secret in college football recruiting. Robert has visited Ole Miss both on official and unofficial visits an estimated seven weeks out of the 2012 college football season, and visited the University of Georgia as an official recruit for the Bulldogs on Nov. 3, when UGA hosted Ole Miss.
Despite Nkemdiche spending the majority of his senior season as a Clemson commitment, and programs such as Alabama - a team his mother stated publicly she admired - yet to heavily pursue him, multiple sources at Ole Miss expressed strong confidence that the forthcoming commitment will hold until National Signing Day on February 6.
“[Nkemdiche] isn’t going anywhere. It’s over, and obviously we’re excited,” the source said, adding that it’s expected the Nkemdiche family will opt against any kind of public or televised announcement.
The profile of Nkemdiche’s commitment could also cause a groundswell of talent to Oxford. Sources named two currently uncommitted prospects - Crete, Illinois’ Laquon Treadwell, Rivals’ top rated wide receiver prospect and linebacker Ebenezer Ogundeko of Brooklyn, New York - in addition to other unspecified targets.
Ole Miss will also enjoy a unique advantage in recruiting thanks to its prior struggles: The Rebels only signed 17 players in 2012 instead of the maximum 25 after Freeze took over for the fired Houston Nutt, meaning that Ole Miss will have extra scholarships to play with in recruiting, provided the additions occur in time for prospects to be enrolled by January of 2013.
Robert Nkemdiche’s final high school game will be the Under Armour All-Star Game on Jan. 5.
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