By Pat Harty

IOWA CITY, Iowa – Freshman defensive back Xavier Nwankpa participated in his first Iowa media day this past Friday and two things stood out: his size, and his humility.

Nwankpa is listed at 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds in the Iowa media guide, and he certainly looks that size in person, if not a little bigger.

“He’s huge,” said Iowa senior strong safety Kaevon Merriweather, who’s pretty big himself for a defensive back at 6-0 and 212 pounds.

Nwankpa is also one of the most highly decorated recruits to ever sign with Iowa.

He ascended to five-star status during his career at Southeast Polk High School and he had multiple scholarship offers from a Who’s Who list of programs that included Ohio State, Notre Dame and Alabama.

Location obviously played a factor in Nwankpa picking the Hawkeyes, but his humble nature and team-first mentality also fits the Iowa way under veteran head coach Kirk Ferentz.

“He’s a great guy,” Nwankpa said of Iowa’s 67-year old head coach. “He’s one of the reasons I came here. I feel like he had trust in me and I trusted him.”

Some five-star recruits have a sense of entitlement when they enter college because they’re used to being pampered and having coaches fawn over them during the recruiting process.

Nwankpa certainly had plenty of attention as a five-star recruit, but he seems to have stayed grounded judging from how he interacted with reporters at media day, and from what his Iowa teammates say about him.

“When he gets around guys, he’s always laughing, always talking,” said Kaevon Merriweather. “I think a lot of times people have a stigma on those five stars. But X is not. He’s a down-to-earth, cool guy.”

Nwankpa didn’t make any bold statements at media day, and he downplayed the buzz surrounding his elite status as a recruit.

“The recruitment doesn’t really mean anything once you get here,” Nwankpa said. “You’ve still got to earn your spot and show your stripes. You’ve got to get better every day.”

That was Nwankpa’s message at media – get better every day.

He and Merriweather have been roommates during preseason practice and Nwankpa appreciates being mentored by one of the most highly respected players on the team.

“I just ask him any questions I have,” Nwankpa said. “He’s helped me since I’ve been here in the spring.”

Nwankpa also appreciates being coached by one of the top defensive coordinators in the country in Phil Parker, who also coaches the Iowa defensive backs.

Parker is an original member of Kirk Ferentz’s coaching staff at Iowa, dating back to 1999, and Parker also made first All-Big Ten three times as a hard-hitting safety at Michigan State in the 1980s.

Iowa has had 17 defensive backs make first-team All-Big Ten with Phil Parker on the staff, and 17 defensive backs have also been selected in the NFL Draft during that time.

Desmond King won the Jim Thorpe Award as the nation’s top defensive back in 2015, while Micah Hyde, Josh Jackson, Amani Hooker and Riley Moss were all named Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year.

“That was a big part of my recruitment and he’s just stepping up more as a coach and I just love being a part of that,” Nwankpa said of Parker.

Parker has a reputation for turning lightly recruited defensive backs into stars, and the five Hawkeyes that have been named Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year under his watch would all fit into that category.

So, with Nwankpa, who could play either safety position, the question is if Parker can turn unheralded recruits into stars, and in many cases future NFL players, then what’s the ceiling for a heralded recruit who seems to have all the right physical and mental attributes?

“He goes to work and that’s the thing that you love about him,” Parker said of Nwankpa, who is working mostly at free safety right now. “He knows what he has to do. He’s a very explosive kid. He’s a pretty big kid. He’s working on his footwork, and I think he’s doing a good job with that.

“He’s improving every day. And the more he gets confident from being out there and taking reps, the better player he is going to be.”

Nwankpa was so eager to be a Hawkeye that he graduated from high school early before enrolling at Iowa this past January.

That allowed him to get head start by participating in spring practice.

“That definitely helped a lot,” Nwankpa said. “I definitely have picked up speed from January to now, just knowledge of the game, knowledge of the defense, just seeing everything.”

Nwankpa’s physical ability is easy to notice on the field.

He made several impressive plays in the Kids Days practice this past Saturday, including a leaping interception near the sideline.

Nwankpa performed as you would expect a five-star recruit to perform.

When asked about Nwankpa’s humble nature, Parker smiled and said:

“It’s beautiful.”

Merriweather said Nwankpa attacks each day and each practice with high energy and with a purpose.

“He’s just always learning and understanding he’s not where he wants to be,” Merriweather said. “He’s progressing. Just being a freshman he has so much that he can learn, not just from coach Parker, but from players like me and Riley (Moss) and other older players in the room.

“He is a student of the game. He’s always asking questions. How do you do this? Why should I do this? How can I improve? How can get there faster. He’s always listening. I think day by day, if you tell him something, I don’t think he makes that same mistake. He’s always continuing to learn.”

Nwankpa also tried to downplay his influence on Kadyn Proctor’s decision to be Hawkeye.

Proctor, a 6-8, 331-pound left tackle from Southeast Polk, is entering his senior season and is considered one of the top offensive linemen in the 2023 senior class. He made a verbal commitment to Iowa slightly more than a month ago, and is one of Nwankpa’s closest friends.

“It played a little bit, but it was mostly his decision,” Nwankpa said of Proctor. ”

Will tweet out some individual Hawkeye player highlight clips from Kids Day periodically this week, helping you pass time before the season opener

1st up is TR FR Safety Xavier Nwankpa creating 2 turnovers pic.twitter.com/oThWQFtTe4

— Rob Howe (@RobHoweHN) August 15, 2022