Nkemdiche is ready to break out

— -- Beginning Aug. 3, we're counting down the days until the college football season with a look at the 25 most interesting people in the sport.

OXFORD, Miss. -- On a steamy Saturday morning inside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, Ole Miss defensive tackle Robert Nkemdiche is on the hunt.

It's early August, and the 6-foot-4, 280-pound mountain of a sophomore stalks a quarterback standing across from him. His movements are slow, menacing. He carefully walks to his left and finds space outside the line of scrimmage, never taking his eyes off his prey.

At the snap, Nkemdiche explodes toward the quarterback and shoves a helpless lineman to the ground. As soon as the pass is released, it finds a leaping Nkemdiche's hands before he slams to the ground.

Nkemdiche barely reacts as teammates congratulate him. He's waiting for his next victim.

"He looks good," coach Hugh Freeze said. "I'm real pleased with where he's at right now, physically. Mentally, he seems to be doing well. ... There's no question when you look at him that he's ready physically."

The former No. 1 recruit admits to drowning in practice at times last year. Smothered by hype, the perceived savior of Ole Miss' program saw less dominance and more mistakes.

But as Nkemdiche looks to the 2014 season, he smiles when talking about his transformation.

"I can play without my head spinning," Nkemdiche said. "Everything is so calm and easy for me to pick up, and that's why I'm going to have a really big year. ... I'm going to have a huge year this year, man -- I know it."