2026 NFL Prospect Profile: Iowa’s Safety Xavier Nwankpa

Xavier Nwankpa attended Southeast Polk High School in Pleasant Hill, Iowa, and had a very successful high school career playing football, baseball and track and field. In his football career, he had 16 interceptions and was selected to play in the 2022 All-American Bowl. Nwankpa was a five-star recruit and became the highest-rated recruit to ever commit to the University of Iowa. 

As a true freshman in 2022, Nwankpa played in all 13 games and made his first career start in the 2022 Music City Bowl, where he had an interception and returned it for a touchdown. In 2023, as a sophomore, he played in all 14 games with 12 starts at strong safety and recorded 42 tackles, one sack, and one interception. 

Nwankpa decided to return to Iowa for his final season before entering the NFL draft. 

Strengths

• Tackling
• Size
• Athleticism
• Instincts
• Football I.Q.
• Range

Xavier Nwankpa has an elite blend of size, speed, and playmaking ability that makes him one of the most complete safeties in the class. He plays an aggressive downhill style and has exceptional range, making plays from sideline to sideline. He can line up at either strong or free safety, and in certain packages, he plays in the box, acting like another linebacker or pass rusher. 

When sniffing out plays, Nwankpa has stellar instincts and is quick to react to where the ball is going. He has exceptional football IQ and is very active in both the run and the passing games. In the open field, Nwankpa can break down and does a good job of wrapping up ball carriers. 

Weaknesses

• Hands
• Man Coverage
• Shedding blocks
• Overly Aggressive

Nwankpa can get too caught up in one-on-one battles with offensive linemen and is slow to shed blocks. He will need to work on his hand placement and block-disengaging skills to become a stronger run stopper. Nwankpa is athletic enough for man-to-man coverage, but needs to work on his footwork and being more fluid at opening his hips. He can be overaggressive at times in chasing down the run and takes some awkward angles that allow running backs cutback lanes. 

Conclusion 

A player that Xavier Nwankpa reminds Draft Nation of is former third-round pick Justin Simmons. Both are larger safeties who have excelled playing different spots and in the "robber" role underneath. Simmons has grown into a star in the NFL, and there is not much holding Nwankpa back from having the same kind of success at the next level. He’s a big-bodied safety who can make plays all over the field. 

Draft Nation has Nwankpa graded as a possible second-day pick.