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Notre Dame In Pursuit Of Fast-Rising Four-Star DB Xavier Nwankpa

Stats aren’t available for Xavier Nwankpa’s six-game junior regular season at Pleasant Hill (Iowa) Southeast Polk, but you’ll just have to take our word for it that he’s been impressive.

Since his first game Aug. 28, here are some highlights:

1. Invited to the 2022 All-American Bowl.

2. Landed offers from Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Minnesota, Ohio State, Penn State, Princeton, Texas and Wisconsin.

3. Has shown Kyle Hamilton-esque impact as a rangy safety, including one of the hardest hits you’ll see at the high school level (see below).

4. Is also a shifty running back with solid vision and patience.

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Xavier Nwankpa added an offer from Notre Dame during a visit last November.
Xavier Nwankpa added an offer from Notre Dame during a visit last November.

Being ranked as the nation’s No. 184 overall recruit and No. 11 safety is nothing to scoff at, but Nwankpa seems poised for a rise.

“It’s hard to put into words, but this has just been an amazing opportunity, and I’m beyond blessed to be in this position,” Nwankpa said.

In addition to the nine schools that have offered in the past several weeks, Nwankpa has the likes of Florida, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame and Oklahoma on his scholarship sheet as well.

Nwankpa was the second defensive back recruit who Notre Dame offered in the 2022 class when he received the word from head coach Brian Kelly while on a gameday campus visit last November.

During the offseason, communication between the two parties fell off a bit, but the Irish staff has picked it up and had multiple Zoom calls with the 6-2, 185-pounder.

Right around the start of Nwankpa’s junior football season, Notre Dame had him on a call for its “Excellence Presentation” which goes through academic information about the University, and then in late September, the staff had Nwankpa on for a virtual visit.

“My biggest takeaway was the part as a student — how they really push them academically,” Nwankpa said. “Also how they don’t stay just with football players like other schools, [but] room with people from across the world to build success in the future, post-football.”

The four-star player is in contact regularly with a pair of Irish coaches.

“I love talking to Coach [Chris] O’Leary and Coach [Terry] Joseph, great people,” Nwankpa added. “They give me tips about my game and things they do within their programs too.”

Nwankpa’s fall thus far has been anything but slow. However, on the recruiting front, that’s exactly how he plans to move forward.

“Probably in the next few months I’ll start cutting down my list a little bit,” he said. “I’m taking it slow as of now.”

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