Nkemdiche among Rebels’ invites to NFL scouting combine
Published 12:02 pm Friday, February 12, 2016
Six Ole Miss football players have been invited to participate in this year’s NFL scouting combine, including former defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche.
Laquon Treadwell, Laremy Tunsil, Fahn Cooper, Cody Core and C.J. Johnson were also extended invitations to the event, which will be held Feb. 23-29 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. All invitees were listed on the NFL’s official website Thursday.
Nkemdiche’s time at Ole Miss abruptly ended in December after he was suspended following an incident at an Atlanta-area hotel. Nkemdiche fell from a fourth-floor window at the Grand Hyatt Atlanta in Buckhead and was charged with marijuana possession after Atlanta police found marijuana cigarettes in the room from which he fell.
The 6-foot-4, 296-pound Nkemdiche declared for the NFL Draft at the same time his suspension was announced by head coach Hugh Freeze. The nation’s consensus No. 1 overall recruit coming out of Grayson High (Loganville, Georgia) in 2013, Nkemdiche started all three years of his college career and finished with 98 tackles, including 19 for a loss.
The website’s overview of Nkemdiche praised his blend of size and athleticism while offering concern for Nkemdiche’s statistical production. Part of the overview read, “His talent and frame are worthy of an early selection, but his lack of high-end production and character concerns could cause him to slide. With that said, he has the talent to be an impact starter in the league.”
Nkemdiche is still widely projected to be one of three Ole Miss players selected in the first round along with Treadwell and Tunsil, who were also members of the Rebels’ 2013 signing class. NFLDraftScout.com projects Tunsil, a three-year starter at left tackle, to be the first player taken overall by the Tennessee Titans.
Johnson, who spent most of his career at defensive end, moved to middle linebacker for his fifth and final season and finished the year with 43 tackles despite missing three games with a knee injury. Cooper, a junior college transfer, started both of his seasons at right tackle while Core started his last two seasons at receiver, finishing his career with 83 catches for 1,297 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The combine will be televised by the NFL Network. The NFL Draft will be held April 28-30 in Chicago.