When Robert Nkemdiche, the consensus top recruit in the Class of 2013, committed to Clemson in June, we opined that the biggest problem for Dabo Swinney and his staff would be holding on to the non-binding verbal over the next eight months.
Less than three months later, that could turn out to be the case, especially if a person extremely close to the talented defensive end has anything to say/do about it.
In an interview that will appear in the Sept. 17 issue of ESPN the Magazine, Nkemdiche’s mother made it clear that, one, the decision is far from set in stone and, two, she’s far from pleased with her son’s choice of Clemson.
“His decision is not final,” Beverly Nkemdiche told the magazine by way of MrSEC.com. “He’s just a teenager, and people are forgetting that. We had never discussed Clemson, and I am unhappy with Clemson. I’m not there, so I don’t know for certain, but I feel like Robert was pressured into this decision.”
Beverly currently lives in Nigeria while her son attends high school in Georgia.
For his part, and at least for now, the player is sticking firm to his verbal.
“I’m going to Clemson,” Nkemdiche said.
With the likes of Alabama, LSU and Georgia among others still in pursuit of the five-star defensive lineman, it remains to be seen whether Swinney & Company can maintain a verbal from a player who would represent the biggest recruiting coup in the head coach’s four-plus years at the school.