A coveted safety from the 2022 Class will make his college commitment live Wednesday at 5 p.m. ET on CBS Sports HQ, when Xavier Nwankpa announces his decision from a group of finalists that includes Iowa, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Texas A&M and Alabama. Nwankpa is considered a five-star prospect and ranked the No. 11 overall prospect in the class by 247Sports. You can watch the announcement live in the video at the top of this page, on the CBS Sports App or via your connected device (Roku, Amazon Fire, Apple TV).
Iowa and Ohio State are considered the favorite to land Nwankpa, according to the 247Sports Crystal Ball. He is ranked the No. 1 safety in the country by 247Sports and the top prospect from the state of Iowa. He was named Iowa’s MaxPreps Player of the Year and is the highest-rated prospect from the state in the 247Sports Era.
Nwankpa projects as a potential future first-round NFL Draft selection and compares to Derwin James of the Los Angeles Chargers, according to 247Sports national recruiting expert Chris Singletary. Here is the full evaluation of Nwankpa from Singletary:
Excellent size to go along with an athletic build and solid wingspan. Able to bend with loose hips that allow him to get in and out of his breaks. Burst and closing speed make for a player who displays great range, whether it’s getting off the hash in 2-deep or in the deep third to make plays on the ball or receiver. Possesses game-changing ability to read, react, and close on plays. Shows top-notch tackling and physicality. Coils and strikes the ball-carrier along with doing a good job wrapping. Makes plays on all three levels. Does a good job when blitzing being physical and running through blockers or attacking their edge while making plays on the QB. In the slot or as a nickel backer, can cover and make plays on the ball along with being a factor in the run game. On the back end, scans the field and plays as a ball-hawk whether in the alley or over the top. Very talented player who’s going to be factor on defense along with having four-core ability as a special teams player. Multi-year Power Five starter who has the skill set to be an all-conference performer and an early-round draft pick.
A multi-sport athlete, Nwankpa also competes in track and field. Though he projects as a defensive back at the college level, he played in all three phases for Southeast Polk, gaining 792 all-purpose yards and scoring 10 touchdowns in 2020.
