Xavier Nwankpa has a diverse skill set

Southeast Polk safety Xavier Nwankpa has proven to be one of the top players within the Class of 2022. We caught up with his high school coach, Brad Zelenovich, to learn more about what makes this recruit so special.

Q: How would you describe him overall as a football player?

Zelenovich: He has been really, really good. Production wise, he is all over the field. He has been a three-year varsity player for us as a junior. He is elite on defense, but obviously he plays a little bit both ways. He is pretty explosive with the ball in his hands. He is extremely talented and has a great frame. He runs well and is athletic. He has been very productive up to this point.

Q: What do you feel are his main strengths at this point?

Zelenovich: Just his overall length and athleticism. He has a great frame. He closes the distance really well. He is a physical player playing centerfield on our defense. He has got really good coverage skills. He has a diverse skill set to be able to cover at an elite level. He is really good in the return game for us and on the offensive side of the ball.

Q: What areas is he going to continue working on heading into the off-season?

Zelenovich: He is going to continue to improve his athleticism and get back into the weight room to put on strength. He will continue to get after it and gain more experience.

Q: What separates him from his peers to get the type of attention and honors that he has received?

Zelenovich: I think he has a tremendous frame at 6-3, 190 pounds. He has such a diverse skill set. He is physical at the point of attack, is a great tackler in space, has above average coverage skills, and is a very smooth and fluid athlete.

Q: How would you describe him as a leader?

Zelenovich: He was a good leader for us this year as a junior. Him and our quarterback were junior captains, which we have never had in our program. He meets the standard every day. We are trying to create a program where guys understand to go about their business. Football is really important to him. He prepares every day like an elite prospect.

Q: How has the pandemic affected recruiting for him?

Zelenovich: I think everybody, even the college coaches, have had to adjust how they do things. They have to be creative on Zoom and things like that with phone calls and virtual campus tours. He has continued to get recruited. There are still some schools that he has not met face to face with yet. That is kind of crazy when you think about it. Hopefully we can get back through the winter and be back to a more normal spring. It has been unique. He has handled it well with the coaches.

Q: Where is he at as of late with recruiting?

Zelenovich: He is up to 20 something offers. We have had some conversations with schools, Alabama being one of them. They haven’t pulled the trigger. They have evaluated him and like his film. He is a national recruit, so we’ll see how it shakes out.

A four-star prospect ranked No. 79 in the Rivals100, Nwankpa currently holds scholarship offers from Iowa, Iowa State, Clemson, Oklahoma, Texas, LSU, Kansas State, Kentucky, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oregon, Penn State, Texas A&M, Princeton, Wisconsin, Florida, Florida Atlantic, Louisville, Arizona State, and Florida State.

As a junior, Nwankpa finished the season with 41 tackles, three TFL, and six interceptions on defense, leading Southeast Polk to the Class 4A state championship game in 2020.

See highlights from Nwankpa's junior year in the video below.