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The San Francisco 49ers will now feature four former first round selections across the defensive line this season.
But the latest signing was a late first rounder who once suited up for two division rivals and was lauded for his “elite athleticism” when he arrived to the league.
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First reported by @TheSFNiners on the evening of Wednesday, July 20, the 49ers have signed the No. 29 overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft Robert Nkemdiche.
Nkemdiche is now heading to a 49ers trench unit that features the No. 17 overall pick from the 2015 draft Arik Armstead and the No. 2 overall selection of the 2019 draft Nick Bosa. Javon Kinlaw, if healthy, gives the 49ers a fourth past first rounder for the line. Brad Graham of @TheSFNiners first provided the hint that the 49ers were adding to their defensive line room before the report.
Nkemdiche Was Once on $8.6 Million Deal
Before the NFL Draft, the 6-foot-4, 294-pounder was one who garnered a bevy of praise — even before he played a down at Ole Miss.
Nkemdiche was a five-star prospect and the nation’s No. 1 overall recruit by 247Sports in the 2013 class. From there, he became instrumental in helping spearhead a Rebels defense that helped spark a turnaround in Oxford.
Many analysts lauded Nkemdiche’s athleticism, including one man who evaluated his game before the draft Lance Zierlein of nfl.com.
“Nkemdiche presented elite athleticism and quick-twitch movement as the top defensive end prospect in the country coming into Oxford as part of the 2013 recruiting class,” Zierlein wrote.
However, there were some wonder with how his NFL career would shake out because of his past stats in an Ole Miss uniform.
“He’s one of the more interesting prospects in the 2016 draft class, as well, because Georgia native never really had great statistical production despite his manifold pro-ready characteristics,” Zierlein said.
Per Sports Reference, Nkemdiche never surpassed the three sack mark in college. He also snatched 41 total solo tackles, but 20 of those came in his freshman season. He also never topped the 30 tackle mark. He eventually tested the NFL Draft waters early following his 2015 campaign.
But his character became in question before the draft, as he was suspended for the 2016 Sugar Bowl after being arrested for possession of marijuana in December 2015 following falling out of a Atlanta hotel window. After his suspension by then Ole Miss head coach Hugh Freeze, Nkemdiche eventually entered the draft.
The Arizona Cardinals, though, saw enough in him to not only make him the 29th overall pick, but hand him a four-year, $8,600,601 million contract with a signing bonus of $4,454,982 per Spotrac.
Nkemdiche Will Aim to Rejuvenate Career in DL-Stacked Defense
Nkemdiche, 27, is yet to live up to his first round billing. But a change of scenery and being on a defense that features a top five DL unit could be enough to rejuvenate his career.
Per Pro Football Reference, Nkemdiche has played in 38 total games…but has only started in six contests which came in the 2018 season with the Cardinals, also his last season with Arizona. He went on to Miami in 2019 but only played in two games as he got placed on the reserve/PUP (physically unable to perform) list on August 31. He wasn’t activated until Week 8. The Dolphins eventually waived him on November 5. Then, eight says after his departure, he was suspended by the NFL for two weeks.
Nkemdiche was out of the league in 2020 before latching on with the Seattle Seahawks in 2021. He wasn’t promoted to the active roster until September 28 and played in nine contests — collecting 15 tackles and seven solo stops.
With his long frame and first step explosion, the 49ers may become convinced to plug him as a three-technique defender which would make him the replacement for D.J. Jones in the interior. Former 49ers defensive end Arden Key also played at the same spot in passing situations last season. There’s already the belief that Nkemdiche will benefit from his new surroundings.
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