FLOWERY BRANCH – Former Falcons great Chuck Smith, who trains defensive line players, gave NFL prospect Robert Nkemdiche his stamp of approval Wednesday.
“I have trained (and) consulted Robert Nkemdiche,” Smith wrote on twitter. “He’s a great guy, and I believe in him. We all learn and grow! Gonna be a beast!”
Nkemdiche, of Grayson, who was considered the top player in the nation coming out of high school, but is getting mixed reviews after his career at Mississippi. In review of his Ole Miss film, several NFL scouts have noticed his inconsistent play. Teams are also concerned about an arrest after he fell out of window from a Buckhead hotel.
Because of his physical tools, Nkemdiche is still considered a potential first-round pick and will attend the draft in Chicago.
Smith, one of the NFL's top pass-rushers of the 1990s, has turned into the Pass-Rush Whisperer in retirement.
Over the past few years, he’s been hired as a personal trainer to help some of the top NFL candidates get ready for the combine and for their pre-draft workouts.
Smith played for the Falcons (1992-99) and with Carolina (2000). He was on the franchise’s only Super Bowl team and finished his career with 58.5 sacks.
The Falcons hold the 17th pick in the draft, which will be held April 28-30.
