From now until the 2026 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Iowa S Xavier Nwankpa.
No. 1 Xavier Nwankpa/S Iowa – 6024, 208 pounds (Senior)
Measurements
Player Ht/Wt Hand Size Arm Length Wingspan
Xavier Nwankpa 6024/202 8 1/4 30 3/4 77 3/4″
40-Yard Dash 10-Yard Dash Short Shuttle 3-Cone
4.48 1.62 N/A N/A
Broad Jump Vertical Bench Press
N/A 37.5″ N/A
The Good
– Good frame with bulk
– Plays game hard with fearless attitude to throw body around
– Fills alley well, aggressive and often gets the job done
– Plus hit power able to force fumbles and knock runners back
– With good technique and square, makes stops in open grass
– Versatile and experience playing post safety
– Plays inside-out and doesn’t overrun the play
– Intense blitzer able to blow up running backs up the middle
The Bad
– Short arms and small hands, especially relative to frame
– Average speed that not fully reflected in testing, and will limit range
– Tight-hipped and best downhill in a line, prone to slipping when needing to drop weight and change direction
– Limited impact plays in coverage
– Aiming point too low as a tackler that causes him to miss
Stats
– Career: 171 tackles (3 TFL), 4 PDs, 3 INTs, 2 FFs, and 1 sack across 52 career games
– 2025: 76 tackles (1 TFL), 2 FFs, 1 INT, 0 PDs across 13 games
– 2,130 career defensive snaps (922 FS, 837 box, 348 slot)
– 2025: 741 defensive snaps (523 FS, 165 box, 38 slot)
– 468 career special teams snaps (100-plus each of last two years)
– PFF’s No. 115 overall defensive grade of 2025 safeties among 300 qualifiers (No. 25 run defender, No. 70 tackler, No. 204 coverage)
– 12.5 percent missed tackle rate in 2025 (12.7 percent for career)
– Charged with 1 TD in 2025 (seven in career)
– One career penalty (came in 2024)
– Ten interceptions over final two HS seasons (six as junior, four as senior) and played WR
Injury History
– 2021: right leg/foot injury in high school, seen on crutches, with self-reported ankle sprain; missed three games during season but unclear if all related to ankle
– 2023: right hand/wrist injury and played with cast
– 2024: missed time during fall camp with unknown injury
– 2025: needed multiple stitches on right ear against Wisconsin game after forcing a fumble; similar happened in 2024, resulting in nine stitches with equipment staff trying to modify helmet
Bio
– Turns 23 in December, 2026
– Five-star recruit from Pleasant Hill, Iowa
– Chose Iowa over Ohio State and Notre Dame and amassed over 30 offers; became first five-star from Iowa committed to school since 2001 and program’s highest recruit ever
– Selected Hawkeyes because of comfort with coaching staff, proximity to home, and program’s history of developing DBs under DC Phil Parker
– Team captain as HS junior and senior, helped lead school to state title as senior after losing title game as junior
– Inspired by former Iowa DB Bob Sanders
– High school teammates with Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
– Father, Frankie, set track records at Iowa State; mother, Amy, coached softball
– Ran track (relays and long jump) and played baseball (P, SS, CF) through freshman year of HS
– Coaches praise his low-maintenance and mature personality
– Last name pronounced “Wan-pa”
Tape Breakdown
Xavier Nwankpa stayed local to become Iowa’s biggest recruit in school history. His college career didn’t live up to the hype, but he still enjoyed a solid career and grew each season.
A big body at over 6-2 and 200 pounds, he doesn’t shy from throwing his weight around. Nwankpa is physical in all phases of the game. Check out the hit on QB Fernando Mendoza included in here.
His hit power is enough to force the ball out, too.
He plays inside-out and takes good angles to the football. He’s versatile and has more snaps as a true post safety than many of his peers. But a lack of high-end athleticism makes it more difficult to project him sticking there at the NFL level. Nwankpa is straight-line player whose tightness gets exposed when he has to break down and change directions. He also aims low coming downhill and can miss against high-knee runners.
His coverage production is also really light. Safeties don’t always stuff the stat sheet but four career pass breakups and zero in 2025 is low. His impact in coverage just wasn’t evident on tape.
Conclusion
Overall, Nwankpa is a hard-hitting safety with good size and the right aggression and demeanor for the position. Despite his free safety background, he’s best closer to the line of scrimmage in a strong safety role.
My NFL comp is Jeff Heath.
NFL Draft Projection: Late Day Three-Undrafted
Steelers Depot Draft Grade: 6.6 (Pure Backup)
Grade Range: 6.3-7.1
Games Watched: at Ohio State (2024), vs Indiana (2025), vs Penn State (2025), vs Oregon (2025)
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