Xavier Nwankpa S Iowa | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Xavier Nwankpa S Iowa
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 04/29/2024 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.39 seconds (95%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 20.4 DOB: 12/08/2003 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| ROLE: Zone Slot/Nickel Safety | |
| Last Updated: 04/29/2024 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.39 seconds (95%*) | |
| Age: 20.4 DOB: 12/08/2003 | |
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| Overall Rating: | 86.4 / 100 | |
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| Average rating of opposition Offense player has faced | ||
| Offense Rating: |
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80% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| QB Rating When targeted: | 91.8 | |
| Tackling: |
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71% |
| Run Defense: |
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82% |
| Coverage: |
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93% |
| Zone: |
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84% |
| Man/Press: |
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93% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
2nd - Late
Overall Rank:
#50
Position rank:
#10
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| College Games: 16 College Snaps: 859 | ||
ESPN RATING: 83/100
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.1 (100%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jevon Holland - Oregon |
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83% |
| Trevon Moehrig - TCU |
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81% |
| Antonio Johnson - Texas A&M |
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79% |
Draft Profile: Bio
Xavier Nwankpa from Southeast Polk High School was rated a 4-star recruit by ESPN and handed a 5-star grade by 247 Sports. Following high school, Nwankpa opted to join Iowa after being heavily recruited.In 2022 as a freshman Nwankpa saw action in just 2 games and played a total of 21 snaps at safety for the Hawkeyes. He recorded only one tackle, one assist, while adding no stops. In coverage Nwankpa notched up no pass breakups, no interceptions, and QB rating when targetted of 104.2.
As a sophomore in 2023 he played in 14 games and logged 838 snaps for the Hawkeyes. He made 35 tackles, 12 assists, and had 13 stops. In coverage he totaled 2 pass breakups, one interception, and QB rating when targetted of 91.3.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Has an NFL frame with strong hands, the ability to close quickly on underneath routes and the size to tackle with a thump.
- Has enough speed and fluidity to come down and guard slot receivers and even some tight ends in man coverage.
- He’s an explosive athlete. His ability to break on the ball and close is phenomenal, and Nwankpa has the rare ball skills
- Has the violent hands to discard receivers and smaller tight ends, and he is a sure tackler. In coverage, he shows good instincts when sitting back in zone, with click-and-close ability and good ball tracking.
- Has quick feet and excellent change-of-direction ability, capable of mirroring quickness underneath.
- Closes to the ball quite well and possesses the hands to snatch throws away from his frame.
- He’s tall-framed with long arms to match. With his powerful hands, straight-line speed, and fluidity in his hips, turning and chasing downfield shouldn’t be a problem.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- His athleticism gives him the potential to have tremendous range in coverage, but Nwankpa is often hesitant and doesn’t seem confident in what he’s seeing.
- Needs to get stronger. Too easily lost in the trash. Not a sudden athlete and shows body stiffness when attempting to quickly redirect.
- Inconsistent getting off of blocks. Can be a step slow to react when a quarterback comes back to his side of the field late in progression.
How other scouting services rate Xavier Nwankpa (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
52.3
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
10.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.