Possible top-10 2016 NFL Draft prospect Robert Nkemdiche, who was arrested after falling out of a hotel window in Atlanta last weekend, was reportedly using synthetic marijuana and was paranoid at the time of his accident.
According to Clay Travis of FOX Sports, the Ole Miss defensive tackle was using what’s commonly referred to as “fake weed,” a synthetic cannabinoid which doesn’t show up on drug tests. But it also comes with side effects which include paranoia, delusion and hallucinations.
The report said Nkemdiche was convinced someone was chasing him when he went through a double-pane window and fell 15 feet to the ground. A bush apparently broke his fall. He was taken to an Atlanta hospital for stitches, and was released before being taken to jail and charged with marijuana possession.
Nkemdiche’s brother Denzel, a linebacker at Ole Miss, has also had issues with the drug according to the report. He was hospitalized and missed the final two games of the season after he was found near the edge of the roof of his townhome, wrapped in a blanket and afraid someone was trying to get him.
Nkemdiche hasn’t declared for this year’s draft, but that’s widely expected after the Rebels play in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1. The school hasn’t declared whether he’ll play, or whether he’ll be able to.
Whether he does or not, the entire situation presents a red flag for NFL teams, though his impressive talents will certainly keep him near the top of draft boards. How much of a concern it is likely varies by teams, though the fact he FELL OUT OF A WINDOW and isn’t still hospitalized speaks mostly to his remarkable good fortune.