Brotherly Love One Reason Why Robert Nkemdiche Commits to Ole Miss

On paper, Ole Miss doesn't look like your typical recruiting powerhouse. 

Head coach Hugh Freeze is entering his second year in Oxford and is coming off a mildly impressive 7-6 season that saw the Rebels take back state power over Mississippi State, but that's not enough to play with the big boys in the SEC recruiting playground.

Except this season.

The Rebels got off to a hot start on national signing day, securing the commitment of defensive end Robert Nkemdiche—the nation's No. 1 overall prospect.

Let that sink in a little bit. Ole Miss. With the top prospect in the country.

How did Ole Miss become the flavor of the season? 

Simple: Brotherly love.

Nkemdiche's older brother Denzel was an All-Freshman linebacker for the Rebels in 2012, tallying 82 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and three sacks.

"I wanted to go play with him and do something special," Robert Nkemdiche said on ESPNU following the announcement. "I felt that was the best choice for me."

Denzel added his thoughts on Robert's commitment on ESPN: "I'm just glad that I'll be able to look after him, take care of him, and we'll be able to win a national championship together."

It's not out of bounds to wonder how Ole Miss is doing this. The Rebels aren't a traditional SEC power, and they haven't posted a top-10 recruiting class in the Rivals.com team rankings in more than a decade.

But the best recruiters in the country are the players themselves, and that's a big reason why the Rebels are where they are. 

Had the elder Nkemdiche brother not enjoyed so much success in Oxford, the program may not have become so attractive to Robert Nkemdiche. Once he did, he became Hugh Freeze's ace recruiter as he and his fellow members of the Class of 2013 participated in camps and made visits throughout the process.

Brotherly love is what landed Robert Nkemdiche, and it's a big reason why Ole Miss is one of the top storylines of the 2013 recruiting season.

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