With signing day over for another year, the highest profile football recruiting sweepstakes Georgia has seen in recent years is about to intensify in the pursuit of Robert Nkemdiche.
He’s a 6-foot-5, 270-pound defensive end from Grayson High School who is ranked as the nation’s No. 1 prospect for 2013 by several recruiting services, the first Georgian to get that distinction since such services emerged.
Nkemdiche (pronounced Kim-dee-chee) is considered a better prospect than any of the nearly 175 Georgia seniors who signed with FBS programs last week and probably was better as a sophomore than any senior that year.
His high school coach played on Alabama’s 1992 national championship team that was stocked with future NFL stars, and he said Nkemdiche is more talented than any of them.
Grayson coach Mickey Conn’s brethren on opposing sidelines are equally impressed:
Lowndes coach Randy McPherson: “He’s a once-in-a-generation player.”
North Gwinnett coach Bob Sphire: “A lot of people compare Robert to Julius Peppers, but the older college coaches that come around ... they compare him to Lawrence Taylor.”
Recruiting analyst Mike Farrell of Rivals, which ranks Nkemdiche the top player in the nation: “No one else is as rare at his position as he is. He’s a freak. This is a year where there are a lot of special prospects at their positions as well.”
With the seniors out of the way, the already bright spotlight will shine more intensely on Nkemdiche.
“Well, it has been pretty crazy since Robert was a sophomore,” Conn said. “I can’t imagine it being crazier than it already has been. So, you know, we’ll be prepared. We might have some touchdown club people out there directing traffic for spring practice if we need to do that.”
Spring practice figures to be a zoo if it resembles the past month at the Gwinnett County powerhouse. Alabama’s Nick Saban, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, Georgia’s Mark Richt and Tennessee’s Derek Dooley, along with too many assistant coaches to mention, have stopped by Grayson to catch of a glimpse of the five-star prospect.
Nkemdiche lives a fishbowl-like existence. During Grayson’s march to the 2011 Class AAAAA state championship, he would stay on the field after games for 45 minutes or longer for hugs, handshakes, autographs, photos and media interviews. His coach tries to use the unprecedented publicity for the benefit of the program.
“This is exciting for Robert — but our other kids as well — because it gives them an opportunity to showcase their talents to college coaches,” Conn said. “We’ve got a talented bunch. We’re more than Robert Nkemdiche. We’ve got a lot of players. We’ve got 10 back on defense, and every one of them should get an offer because they are all very good.”
At the top of Nkemdiche’s list of favorite colleges are roughly the same five to six that have been there all along — Alabama, LSU, Georgia, USC, Oregon and Florida. There are never-ending rumors that he committed to Alabama last year and will sign with the Crimson Tide next year. Nkemdiche, who often wears Alabama gear to school, denies the rumors.
An emerging school is Ole Miss. His older brother, Denzel Nkemdiche, is a freshman defensive back who qualified and signed late last summer, and has Denzel said that his parents want the brothers to play on the same college team. Denzel initially wanted to go to Georgia after qualifying, but the Bulldogs recruited him too late.
Georgia, located only 40 miles away from Grayson, is making an effort to be a serious contender in the sweepstakes.
“Mark Richt is doing a great job of recruiting Robert,” Conn said. “He calls me all the time about Robert. He has been here, along with [defensive coordinator] Todd Grantham. Georgia is doing an excellent job recruiting Robert. They are really working hard.”
Georgia’s biggest advantage with Nkemdiche is a non-football factor — Athens’ proximity to Grayson. That would allow Nkemdiche to remain close to his strong support group in the Grayson area.
While Alabama appears to be the school to beat, it may be awhile before Nkemdiche goes public with a decision. Like many elite prospects, Nkemdiche wants to go through the recruiting process and take recruiting trips after his senior season before picking his destination.
“I think Robert will wait until after his senior season of football,” Conn said. “I think he wants to see what everybody will offer.
“Right now with recruiting, he’s trying to put it all on the back burner to focus on his academics and preparing for his senior year. He, like the rest of the kids, wants to win another state championship.”
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