Player Spotlight: Xavier Nwankpa Class of 2022 DB (SEP)

Paul Erredge

August 11, 2021 @ 10:07 AM

This 2022 class is something special - one of the best classes I’ve seen in Iowa history - and [player_tooltip player_id="23942" first="Xavier" last="Nwankpa"] receives top billing. For some time now, he’s been one of the most talked about players in the country. Let’s take a deep dive into this star prospect and consider Xavier’s potential as we head into this season. Frame: 6´2 185lbs Hudl: <a href="https://www.hudl.com/profile/10061863/Xavier-Nwankpa">[player_tooltip player_id="23942" first="Xavier" last="Nwankpa"] Hudl</a> Skill Set: Xavier is gifted with one of the best frames in the entire country. Having a player who is 6´2 190 lbs at safety is enough to make college coaches drool. And Xavier’s coverage ability is right up there with the best. Granted, he sometimes struggles in man-man coverage but that is common for almost all high school safeties. His tackling is crazy good. If you watch his film (please do) he delivers some of the most exciting hits you will see in high school football. Xavier plays as physically as possible, unafraid of contact. Recruitment: Xavier is without a doubt one of the most coveted prospects in the country. He is a four-star on 247Sports and Rivals, technically earning that 5th star from 247 for being a top 32 player in the country. His final 7 consists of Iowa, Ohio State, Texas A&M, LSU, Arizona State, Notre Dame, and Clemson. Each of those schools poured their attention on Xavier in their bid to secure him on their roster. If I were to make a crystal ball prediction for where Xavier lands, I’d say chances were 60% Ohio State, 30% Texas A&M, 10% Iowa. These are the schools I think are most likely to end up scoring this stellar Southeast Polk product. Predicted Stat Line: 56 Tackles, 48 Solo Tackles, 1.0 Sack, 2.5 Tackles for Loss, 5 Interceptions. Standout Game: Week 1 Southeast Polk vs Dowling. This is a statement game for Southeast Polk. If they can open up with a week one win against Dowling they will be instantly ranked either #1 or #2 in the state. I think that they are going to use Xavier in wildcat formations and in the pass game a lot and he could end up having a insane performance. Final Points: It is clear that Xavier is an elite prospect - the calibre of player bound to thrill a college coach. He has A+ potential and is going to be one of the most hyped up and fun to watch athletes Iowa has produced. Like baseball’s Fernando Tatis Jr., Xavier has the star power that makes him one of the prominent faces in Iowa High School Football.