Notre Dame Football: 5 must-add prospects to the 2022 recruiting class
By Blake Soffa
Notre Dame Football: 5 must-add prospects to the 2022 recruiting class
S Xavier Nwankpa, Southeast Polk, Pleasant Hill, IA
Arguably the most important position for the Fighting Irish to address, considering the circumstance, is safety. All-American Kyle Hamilton will surely depart for the NFL Draft after the 2021 season, and if Houston Griffith has the kind of break-out season a lot of us expect him to have, he will surely be gone as well.
That leaves a very young safety core with little to no experience. Xavier Nwankpa is the type of elite talent that Notre Dame would love to come fill a gaping void.
The Iowa native comes in at 6’2″ and 185 lbs, and he possesses a very raw form of athleticism. He absolutely punishes his opponents with his explosive tackling ability. What is most impressive about Nwankpa is his ability to read the field at all times.
He anticipates the run excellently, is highly aware in coverage and optimizes his athleticism which results in him making smart and big-time plays.
Ohio State most likely has the edge at this point, but the Notre Dame staff is working really hard to get him. I can’t emphasize enough how important Nwankpa would be for the Irish defense.