5 teams who should take a chance on Robert Nkemdiche by Ian O'Brien 5h ago
Robert Nkemdiche’s draft stock may be plummeting after his fall from a window, but his talent will make him nearly impossible to resist in the first round.Ole Miss defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche has been a big name since signing with the Rebels as the No. 1 recruit in the nation in 2013. He has lived up to his hype throughout his college career and helped Ole Miss become one of the top defenses in the nation. This has helped him become a surefire first-round pick for the 2016 NFL Draft.At least it seemed that way earlier in the year, but Nkemdiche was recently charged with marijuana possession after falling from a hotel window. This caused him to become investigated for foul play, and it was confirmed that he had marijuana on him. Due to his latest troubles, Nkemdiche may very well experience a draft free fall like Randy Gregory and Shane Ray.However, his talent alone will make him a lock to at least be drafted in the second round. It would be a shocker if Nkemdiche fell out of the first round at this point though because he is one of the biggest names heading into the draft. Here are five teams that should definitely take a chance on the defensive lineman despite his red flags.5. Tampa Bay BuccaneersThe Buccaneers have neglected to draft a defensive lineman for the past two years. While they solved their quarterback problem by taking Jameis Winston, the Buccaneers still need to provide help for defensive tackle Gerald McCoy. The Buccaneers pass rush continues to be mediocre, as they rank 16th in the NFL in sacks with 31. While McCoy has lived up to every bit of his hype, the Buccaneers have been unable to draft another quality defensive lineman.They whiffed in the 2011 NFL Draft when they selected defensive ends Adrian Clayborn and DaQuan Bowers. The Buccaneers still have many holes on their defense, and they should definitely focus on that area since they have the core of their offense in place. Upgrading their pass rush would be a fantastic way to start, and Nkemdiche provide a fierce interior presence. He would help draw double coverage away from McCoy, and he would help make the secondary’s job much easier. The Buccaneers rank 20th in pass defense and have allowed a 98.1 passer rating to opposing quarterbacks. Nkemdiche has compiled 16 tackles for loss in his three-year career with Ole Miss, so he would be a welcome addition to a team that has to play the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers twice a year.4. Atlanta FalconsThe Falcons are tied for last in the NFL in sacks, so they clearly need to upgrade their defensive line. The Falcons hoped to upgrade their pass rush in the draft when they selected defensive end Vic Beasley in the first round. However, Beasley has been an overall disappointment since he has only come up with two sacks. Defensive tackles Ra’Shede Hageman and Paul Soliai have both failed to make an impact, so drafting Nkemdiche should definitely be considered by the Falcons. The Falcons have needed to upgrade in both of their trenches for a while now, and this has shown in their losing streak.Playing physical football is out of the question for the Falcons right now. Hiring Dan Quinn as their head coach has not produced immediate results for the Falcons defense. Quinn will likely have a second year to prove that he can turn the Falcons defense around. Adding a mean presence such as Nkemdiche would greatly improve their defense if they are willing to pull the trigger even with his character concerns. Maintaining a strong defensive line is essential in a division like the NFC South since it has quarterbacks such as Cam Newton and Drew Brees.3. New Orleans SaintsDefensive woes in the NFC South also lie with the Saints, as they have struggled to stop any offense from succeeding. They have allowed quarterbacks such as Kirk Cousins to attain a perfect rating while allowing Eli Manning to throw six touchdown passes. The Saints rank last in points allowed with 30.5 allowed per game. They have also allowed a whopping 114.2 passer rating by opposing quarterbacks. The Saints run defense has not been any better since they rank dead last in rushing yards allowed with 136.1 per game surrendered.The Saints rank close to the bottom in sacks with an underwhelming 25, and they need a defensive lineman to take pressure off of defensive end Cameron Jordan. They cannot use Kevin Williams at defensive tackle forever, so they will need to add defensive line depth as soon as possible. The Saints will not have Drew Brees as their quarterback much longer either, so they will want to add as much defensive help as possible to give him a chance at one more Super Bowl ring. Nkemdiche would be a perfect fit for a defense that employs a 4-3 scheme and desperately needs a defensive line upgrade.2. New York GiantsEven with defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul coming back, the Giants defense has struggled mightily this season. They have allowed a league-leading 314.5 passing yards per game, so the pass rush clearly needs an upgrade. While the Giants run defense is slightly better, it has allowed 108.8 rushing yards and could still use an upgrade. A defensive tackle presence across from Johnathan Hankins has been exposed as a need. The Giants defense suffered a major blow this season when Hankins went down with a season-ending pectoral injury, so defensive tackle depth has become an even bigger need.The Giants defensive line used to be one of the biggest strengths of their team, but its play has fallen off since the team’s last two Super Bowl runs. While Pierre-Paul and Robert Ayers are both solid defensive ends, they must upgrade at defensive tackle to keep the defensive line strong. Hankins has great potential, but additional depth is needed. Nkemdiche would provide an upgrade in both the pass rush and run stuffing department for the Giants. They are tied for last in the NFL in sacks with 15, so Nkemdiche should definitely be considered. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo may find it difficult to resist drafting a defensive lineman of Nkemdiche’s magnitude since he rose to fame with his work with the 2007 Giants defensive line.1. Indianapolis ColtsIt would be an understatement to say that the Colts have been disappointing this season. Allowing 51 points to the Jacksonville Jaguars illustrated the tone of their 2015 season. A 6-7 record is not what a team with Super Bowl expectations had in mind, and their defense has continued to be a major weakness. They employ a 3-4 scheme, but Nkemdiche should be plenty capable of filling in as a defensive end with his versatility. The All-SEC defensive lineman currently weighs 293 pounds, so his size should be enough for him to take on this role. The Colts currently rank 28th in sacks with 22. They rank 25th in run defense with 121.4 rushing yards allowed per game to make matters worse.The Colts have paid greatly for neglecting their pressing need at defensive line, and Henry Anderson has not produced right away after being selected in the third round. The Colts may have a high draft position since they are still in position to win the AFC South, but there is a good chance that Nkemdiche will fall to them. The Colts do not appear to be capable of advancing past the first round in the playoffs. Nkemdiche may be the puzzle piece that the Colts defense needs to generate more pressure on opposing quarterbacks, and his run-stuffing ability would not hurt either.link
