The Iowa Hawkeyes are coming off another strong year despite losing in the Big-Ten championship game against Michigan. To put the cherry on top they just landed the No. 1 player in Iowa, Xavier Nwankpa over Ohio State and Notre Dame. Nwankpa announced his decision on CBS Sports HQ where he faked out Ohio State before putting on his Iowa hat.
Xavier Nwankpa is a four-star safety at Southeast Polk High School in Altoona, Iowa. He stands 6’2, weighs 190-pounds, and competes in track and field for the Rams as well. The Rams just finished a 12-1 season in which they won the Iowa 5A state championship. Xavier has 34 offers and has visited Ohio State, Notre Dame, Iowa, and Texas A&M.
If Nwankpa’s commitment sticks he will become Iowa’s 8th highest rated recruit in school history. According to Rivals he is the highest rated recruit to ever commit to the Hawkeyes. With that being said he is also now the headlining prospect of this 39th overall ‘22 class. He joins four-star defensive lineman Aaron Graves who happens to be the No. 2 player in Iowa.
The momentum this class brings for the Hawkeyes is huge. Not only is it important to reload your roster with talent but winning a recruiting battle against schools like Notre Dame and Ohio State is massive. Iowa is right on the heels of Purdue and Indiana’s recruiting classes, and could possibly even jump into the top-five within the Big-Ten by the end of it.
