Though it goes against everything I have ever said about recruiting, most notably the part about trying not to talk about it, this space must make mention of a story that has the Ole Miss faithful buzzing with hope that only Ole Miss fans can have. For those not in the know, Robert Nkemdiche, a defensive end from the state of Georgia, will probably be the most highly recruited high school football player in the country next season (or presently, as I forget recruiting NEVER STOPS).
His older brother, Denzel, is currently a defensive back on the Ole Miss football team. Last weekend, the younger Nkemdiche visited Ole Miss during its Junior Day, which is for recruits for which Ole Miss would sell non-vital and select vital organs in order to get them to sign with the Rebels. It was kind of a big deal because Nkemdiche is being heavily recruited by schools that rarely compete with Ole Miss for recruits. By attending Junior Day at Ole Miss, Nkemdiche let it be known that Ole Miss at least has a chance to sign him next February (UGH. NEXT FEBRUARY. WE HAVE TO TALK ABOUT THIS FOR 11 MORE MONTHS.).
And by all accounts, things went very, very well for Ole Miss. The parents of the brothers said they would love to see them play together in college, and the younger Nkemdiche mentioned how close he and his brother are. So, does all of this mean Ole Miss has a strong chance to convince him to turn away from the certain glories and riches of an Alabama or Georgia?
SURELY YOU JEST. Let’s break down how this is gonna go:
1. Nkemdiche gives a soft verbal commitment to Ole Miss this spring
2. He says in an interview how much he loves Ole Miss and Oxford
3. Reports tell of eyewitness accounts of him enjoying the Square in Oxford (dancing, ladies, etc)
4. Reports say that he has privately told Coach Freeze “he will be a Rebel” in 2013
5. Summer
6. Alabama cranks up the pressure, sending him 2,589 letters in a single day (PLUS SO SO SO SO MUCH CASH)
7. He makes his official visit to Ole Miss for the Texas game and the Rebels upset the Longhorns
8. More talk of “he’ll be a Rebel in 2013”
9. Official visit to Alabama
10. Talk of he’s now undecided between Ole Miss and Alabama
11. Ole Miss loses to Vanderbilt (probably the only certainty on this list)
12. January recruiting weekends begin
13. Visits Ole Miss, “falls in love with Ole Miss” again, and commits to Coach Freeze
14. Grown men cry, message boards explode
15. Says he’s still going to take his visit to Alabama “to honor a promise he made to Coach Saban”
16. SERIOUS DOUBTS ABOUT HIS OLE MISS COMMITTMENT
17. Week before Signing Day, reports say he’s still committed to Ole Miss
18. Night before Signing Day, a story breaks he’s called Saban and said he’s coming to Alabama
19. Message boards explode
20. Story breaks on Ole Miss message board that he’s called Coach Freeze and said he will sign with Alabama
21. Signing Day ceremony involves a hawk choosing the hat of the school he will attend
22. Hawk picks Alabama, then shreds the Ole Miss hat into hundreds of pieces
23. Gray vows he will never say the words “recruit,” “recruiting,” or “Signing Day” again
24. Gray writes the same angry anti-recruiting worship post he’s written like five times already
25. Houston Nutt is hired as Idaho’s head coach
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