Iowa Hawkeyes' Rising Star Earns Surprising NFL Comparison

This Iowa Hawkeyes star has earned himself as rather surprising NFL comparison.

Nov 29, 2024; Iowa City, Iowa, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Jahmal Banks (4) is knocked out of bounds by Iowa Hawkeyes defensive back Xavier Nwankpa (1) as defensive lineman Ethan Hurkett (49) chases during the second quarter at Kinnick Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images / Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images

The Iowa Hawkeyes will be placing quite a few players in the NFL this spring, with running back Kaleb Johnson and linebacker Jay Higgins drawing most of the headlines.

However, Iowa has another player that could have actually been a major sleeper pick in April, but has elected to return to the Hawkeyes for one more season.

Safety Xavier Nwankpa.

Nwankpa is coming off of an impressive 2024 campaign in which he registered 41 tackles, establishing himself as a very solid defender in the run game.

While his coverage skills are not exactly the best, he absolutely has a future in the NFL due to his tackling prowess and his ability to make reads closer to the line of scrimmage, and Bleacher Report's Cory Giddings has actually provided a very intriguing NFL comparison for Nwankpa: Cleveland Browns safety Grant Delpit.

Delpit isn't a Pro Bowler, but he is a good defensive back who, like Giddings, is more reliable as a run defender. It's actually a very flattering comparison given that Nwankpa hasn't even really been on anyone's radar outside of Iowa City. And even at Iowa, he was typically overshadowed by fellow defensive backs Sebastian Castro and Jermari Harris in 2024.

Giddings also has Nwankpa projected as a fourth-round talent, which is decent.

"Xavier Nwankpa projects as a mid-round pick with the potential to be a role player, particularly as a box safety," Giddings wrote. "His physicality and secure tackling make him valuable in run support, but his limitations in coverage and reaction speed may limit his ceiling at the next level."

Essentially, no one is expecting Nwankpa to become an All-Pro, but he should be able to carve out a role as a key rotational player somewhere in the NFL.

We'll see if Nwankpa can further improve his draft stock in 2025.