Iowa Stacked at Defensive Back

Up-And-Comers Fortify Group with Super Seniors

IOWA CITY, Iowa - Last offseason, Iowa Football added talent through the transfer portal. This offseason, they poured NIL resources into retention. It preserved much of a dominant defense. 

No position was impacted more by the investment than the secondary. Despite losing likely first-round NFL Draft pick Cooper DeJean, the unit brought back All-American safety Sebastian Castro, All-Big Ten performer Quinn Schulte, two-year starter Jermari Harris and Xavier Nwankpa, a starter in 2023.

If Castro lines up at Cash, where he started 10 games a year ago, the starting safeties likely will be Schulte and Nwankpa with Harris holding down a No. 1 cornerback spot. In that scenario, the only opening would be the island opposite Harris. 

Third-year sophomore Deshaun Lee was listed as the other starting cornerback on the team's pre-spring depth chart after starting six there last fall. He was backed up by T.J. Hall with John Nestor showing up behind Harris on the two-deep. Koen Entringer would be the next man in at safety. 

That's a strong top eight in the backend. Behind them is a solid mix of veterans and younger players. A talented group of '24 defensive backs joins the show in June at a position where playing early is fairly common. 

Of the established starters, Nwankpa could be ready to break out. The former nationally-ranked recruit from Pleasant Hill (IA) Southeast Polk looks to put it all together in Year 3. He should be able to play fast this fall. 

"This is my third spring, so these last three years I feel like I've grown a lot, so I'm excited for this upcoming year to see what we can do on the field," Nwankpa said on Tuesday. 

One could justify Entringer's impatience with the super seniors returning. Without them, he'd have an inside track on a starting position. He's not wired to view it that way, however. 

"It's awesome for the program. I'm a team-first guy," Entringer said. "I want us to win a Big Ten Championship. Having those guys back only increases our chances, so hopefully we can get it done.

"Whether my time comes this year, next year or in two years, I just have to stay true to the process and keep doing hard every single day, there's light at the end of the tunnel." 

Nestor is a guy on which to keep an eye in the fall. He should contribute on special teams and could see time on defense after ascending as a true freshman in '23. 

"That's definitely at the forefront of my mind this year, you know, get on the field and make a couple of defensive plays in whatever my role may be," Nestor said. 

Junior Deavin Hilson contributed on special teams and was listed as a backup cornerback in the bowl game two-deep. Kahlil Tate, Zach Lutmer and Teegan Davis red shirted as first-year players last fall.