Long-time Ohio State target Xavier Nwankpa picks Iowa

COLUMBUS — The long battle between Ohio State and Iowa for Xavier Nwankpa is over.

The Buckeyes came up short.

The five-star safety from Southeast Polk (Altoona, Ia.) has committed to the Iowa Hawkeyes. The home-state program surged in the recruitment of Nwankpa in the last few months. The Hawkeyes offered early and regular playing time, a swarming defense and long-term relationships. That was just too much for Ohio State to overcome.

“Tyler Barnes, Coach Parker and Coach Niemann, I’m super close with all of them,” Nwankpa told Lettermen Row last month. “Coach Niemann has been coming to the school since I was a freshman or something like that, just to see how I was doing and how I’ve gotten better and developed.”

A four-year relationship is hard to beat in recruiting. So is the home-team. Ohio State fought hard for Nwankpa. That was led by Ryan Day, Matt Barnes and Kerry Coombs recruiting him aggressively for the last 18 months. The Buckeyes were the frontrunner for months with the help of some peer-to-peer recruiting. Ohio State commits Kyion Grayes and C.J. Hicks were among the best friends Xavier Nwankpa made through the recruiting process.

“We’re super close,” Nwankpa said. “We have a relationship that goes beyond football. If I ended up picking Notre Dame or Iowa, I know they’d some of my closest friends for the rest of my life. They’ve told me they’re going to support me either way and I believe that. We’ll be there for each other and keep each other accountable if we’re at the same place or a distance.”

Nwankpa has picked Iowa. Ohio State had zeroed in on him and Las Vegas safety Zion Branch over the last few months and no one else. The Buckeyes didn’t need another safety but Xavier Nwankpa was too talented not to try and land. Zion Branch appears to be heading to USC.

Every recruiting loss stings. The energy and effort Ohio State put into the 6-foot-2, 200-pound safety was substantial. That loss was mitigated a bit on Wednesday morning with the news that five-star athlete Sonny Styles has decided to reclassify and join the 2022 class, however. Styles will fill a similar role in the Buckeyes defense that Nwankpa would have.

In the end, Ohio State has fallen short. Now the Buckeyes will have to play against him.