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Todd McShay, senior NFL draft analyst 9y

Ole Miss DT Robert Nkemdiche tops list of players with something to prove

College Football, Ole Miss Rebels, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, USC Trojans, Georgia Bulldogs, Stanford Cardinal

When I first started scouting college players, I was told by an influential NFL executive to pay the most attention to the games in which players faced off against other NFL-caliber talent. That's what you'll find below -- five prospects who have a chance to stand out this Saturday by raising their quality of play against the best competition.

An important note: These guys are all playing in highly competitive games against top-notch opponents, so I promise you the NFL draft is the furthest thing from their minds. This is merely a window into my evaluation process throughout the season.

Note: Underclassmen are marked with an asterisk.


Robert Nkemdiche, DT, Ole Miss Rebels*

Overall Rank: 3 | Position rank: 1

Nkemdiche has always been far more disruptive than his production would indicate, so don't read too much into him having just one TFL and no sacks in two games against UT Martin and Fresno State. The Rebels will need all the disruption they can get against an Alabama offense that averages 6.03 yards per rush (16th in the FBS). This will be a good test for Nkemdiche, who entered the season needing to refine his technique a bit. At 6-foot-4, 296 pounds, he has the size and power to fight through double teams, which he figures to see plenty of in Tuscaloosa on Saturday.

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