Xavier Nwankpa is a safety and NFL Draft prospect who played college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes football at the University of Iowa. A native of Pleasant Hill, Iowa, Nwankpa attended Southeast Polk High School where he emerged as one of the top defensive backs in the nation, recording 16 career interceptions and earning selection to the All American Bowl. A five star recruit in the 2022 class, he became the highest rated recruit in Iowa program history and chose to stay in state to play for the Hawkeyes. Nwankpa saw action early in his career and appeared in games as a true freshman, later making his first collegiate start in Iowa’s bowl game against Kentucky where he returned an interception for a touchdown.
Standing 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 213 pounds, Nwankpa developed into a key piece of Iowa’s secondary during his collegiate career. He played multiple roles in the Hawkeyes’ defensive scheme, lining up as a deep safety while also rotating into robber and split safety responsibilities in the middle of the field. Over his career he recorded more than 150 total tackles, multiple interceptions, and numerous pass breakups while earning third team All Big Ten honors in 2025. His combination of size, range, and physicality has drawn the attention of NFL evaluators as he prepares for the 2026 NFL Draft.
