University of Iowa Athletics
DB

#1 Xavier Nwankpa

Height 6-2
Weight 210 lbs.
Class So.
Hometown Pleasant Hill, Iowa
High School Southeast Polk
Xavier Nwankpa - Football - University of Iowa Athletics

Hawk Item – – One of eight true freshmen to see action in 2022 . . . enrolled for 2022 spring semester and will participate in spring practice.

2022 Honors – – Team Hustle Award, special teams . . . 2022 – – Saw action in all 13 games . . . saw action in 7-3 opening win over South Dakota State, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 120 yards total offense . . . saw action in 10-7 loss to Iowa State, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 27-0 win over Nevada but had no stats as defense allowed just 151 yards total offense . . . saw action in 27-10 win at Rutgers but had no stats as defense allowed just 61net rushing yards . . . saw action in 27-14 loss to #4 Michigan, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 9-6 loss at Illinois, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 54-10 loss at #2 Ohio State but had no statistics . . . saw action in 33-13 win over Northwestern recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 18 net rushing yards and 177 yards total offense . . . saw action in 24-3 win at Purdue, but had no statistics as offense allowed just 87 net rushing yards and 255 yards total offense . . . saw action in 24-10 win over Wisconsin, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 51 net rushing yards and 227 yards total offense . . . saw action in 13-10 win at Minnesota, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 24-17 loss to Nebraska, but had no statistics . . . started at strong safety in 21-0 Music City Bowl win over Kentucky as defense allowed just 68 net rushing yards and 185 yards total offense . . . career-best eight tackles vs. Kentucky in first career start, including seven solo tackles and one assist . . . first career interception vs. Kentucky resulted in 52-yard touchdown return . . . also recorded one pass break-up.

High school honors – – Named Adidas All-American and MaxPreps Iowa Player of the Year as a senior . . . earned Elite All-State honors as a senior . . . first-team all-conference and all-state as a sophomore, junior and senior . . . honorable mention all-conference as a freshman . . . Career – – Four-year football letterman as defensive back . . . prep team won state championships as a senior after also reaching state championship game as a junior . . . state qualifier as a sophomore after reaching state semifinals as a freshman . . . prep team posted four-year record of 35-10, with just two losses over final two seasons . . . recorded 26 tackles and four interceptions as a senior, with 845 all-purpose yards . . . 41 tackles as a junior, with six interceptions and two touchdowns, and 794 all-purpose yards . . . 51.5 tackles as a sophomore, with three interceptions and one touchdown, with 494 all-purpose yards . . . 20 tackles to go with three interceptions and one touchdown return as a freshman . . . team captain as a junior and senior . . . also competed in track and baseball as a prep.

Personal – – Born 12/8/03 . . . sports management major . . . earned academic recognition all four years as a prep . . . parents are Amy Erickson and Frank Nwankpa . . . high school coach was Brad Zelenovich.