LOOK: Four-star safety Xavier Nwankpa visited by Ryan Day
Altoona (Iowa) Southeast Polk safety Xavier Nwankpa recently named a top three of Ohio State, Notre Dame and Iowa. And after a visit to Iowa last weekend, the four-star safety played in front of Buckeyes’ head coach Ryan Day on Friday night.
The 6-foot-2, 200-pound Nwankpa ranks as the No. 62 overall played in the 2022 On300 rankings and the No. 3 overall safety. After amassing more than 30 offers, Nwankpa narrowed to his final three schools on October 2, just a week before visiting the Hawkeyes.
His visit to Iowa city was his seventh in total and fourth for a game, but it was his first and only official visit to the home-state school. He told On3 Director of Recruiting Chad Simmons that he came away very impressed.
“That was the most live atmosphere I have been in,” Nwankpa said. “It’s hard to find the words to describe it, but electric, with no ability to hear anything, is what it was like.”
Iowa will fight for Xavier Nwankpa
Despite the hard pushes from Notre Dame and Ohio State, two of the Midwest’s biggest brand names, Iowa had continued to make an impression on the local product. The Hawkeyes recruit him the hardest of all three schools, and they always make time for him, according to his interview with Simmons.
“Iowa has made me feel like a priority since they offered me my sophomore year,” Xavier Nwankpa said. “The coaches and players have always reached out, not even just about football, but developing that relationship through other aspects.”
He’s scheduled for a December 8 commitment — his birthday — but still has official visits to South Bend (Oct. 23) and Columbus (Oct. 30) on the slate. From there, he’ll finish his high school season and head toward a commitment date.