Locked On Hawkeyes - Daily Podcast On Iowa Hawkeyes Football & Basketball - Inside Xavier Nwankpa's Iowa Hawkeye recruitment and the impact on the Des Moines metro recruiting

Episode Date: December 23, 2021

We are joined by Jonathan Schaeffer, the Sports Director from Channel 5 news, to break down Iowa football recruiting in the Des Moines metro area over the past five years. We detail the journey of Xavier Nwankpa to the Iowa Hawkeyes and what kind of player and person Iowa is getting. Jonathan also breaks down the impact of this on Kayden Proctor and the pros and cons drawing and pushing him from Iowa.Moreover, what recruits not named Kayden is Iowa looking at in the Des Moines metro area and how have 7v7 teams impacted the recruiting experience for these athletes and how has it helped develop Iowa into a more abundantly talent-rich state than just a decade ago.Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors!Built BarBuilt Bar is a protein bar that tastes like a candy bar. Go to builtbar.com and use promo code “LOCKED15,” and you’ll get 15% off your next order.BetOnline AGThere is only 1 place that has you covered and 1 place we trust. Betonline.ag! Sign up today for a free account at betonline.ag and use that promocode: LOCKEDON for your 50% welcome bonus.PrizePicksDon’t hesitate, check out PrizePicks.com and use promo code: “LOCKEDON” or go to your app store and download the app today. PrizePicks is daily fantasy made easy!NetSuiteOver twenty-seven thousand businesses already use NetSuite and RIGHT NOW through the end of the year NetSuite is offering a one-of-a-kind financing program to those ready to upgrade at NetSuite.com/LOCKEDONNCAA. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You are locked on Hawkeyes, your daily podcast on the Iowa Hawkeyes. Part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. Welcome back, Hawkeye Nation, to another episode of the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast, your daily podcast covering your Iowa Hawkeyes and the Locked On Podcast Network. As always, I am your host, Andrew Wade. Excited to be back for another show today, and we have a very special guest. If you are watching the YouTube show, you can see Jonathan Schaefer, the sports director for Channel 5, on your screen.

If you are listening to the podcast, you'll hear him in just a few moments. But I do want to say, first off, thank you all for making the Locked On Hawkeyes podcast your first listen every single day. And today's episode with Jonathan is brought to you by NetSuite. NetSuite is the number one cloud financial system to power your growth. Head over to netsuite.com slash locked on NCAA for special end of year financing on the number one financial system for growing businesses. Jonathan, I appreciate you coming on, man. How are you doing?

Before we get into the show, before we cover anything, I just want to know, how are you personally doing today, man? I'm doing great, man. Just another beautiful day here in Iowa. A little breezy out with sunshine and just a busy one as always. We're getting ready for bowl season. Absolutely. It's been a pretty crazy time for y'all.

I mean, football season ended, but you have wrestling season, you have basketball season, you have bowl season. Absolutely. It's been a pretty crazy time for you all. I mean, football season ended, but you have wrestling season, you got basketball season, you have bowl season, both teams going to bowls. Do you ever have a down period? Is it kind of, is the summer a little bit? Summer is just a little bit, but the fun thing here in Iowa, I mean, high school baseball and softball are summer sports for us.

So it's kind of crazy how that all works. I'd say the downtime is like maybe mid to late June. Other than that, we'll go full bore. I mean, by the time baseball softball ends, we're right back into football and the vicious cycle just keeps rolling. It is interesting. So I played baseball in high school and I hated the fact that we played in the summer. It was just absolutely miserable. And I was wondering, why are we doing this? I look at all these other Midwestern states and they don't do it. And I just don't comprehend what Iowa has truly decided to do with baseball. But nevertheless, that's a topic for another day.

But, Jonathan, we have you on. We're really excited to have you on because you covered Xavier for the last four years since he's been at Southeast Polk. Xavier, the biggest commit in the last 20 years for Iowa. the biggest commit in the last 20 years for Iowa. I know we had A.J. Paneza commit, but I would argue that Xavier committing not being a legacy and being an in-state five-star recruit is arguably the biggest recruit Iowa has ever had in this era. Would you agree with that? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think even bigger, too.

I mean, he's the state's best ever recruit, and to keep a kid like that in the state of Iowa within our walls, I mean, I think that's pretty big. And for him to land as a Hawkeye, I know Hawkeye fans are ecstatic. And if you caught Francis' press conference after it, the guy's already been recruiting. I mean, he's basically been helping land a few other big names too. It has been awesome to see what he's doing. And I'm very curious to see how the momentum plays into 2023. I know he played seven on seven with Kyler Casper. Now, granted, we already have some legacy ties there. Kevin Casper is arguably the most biased Iowa Hawkeye diehard fan of a player I've ever seen.

But I know he's trying to give his son the breathing room and the benefit of the doubt to pick whatever he wants to. But you have no doubt Kevin would love to see Kyler in an Iowa Hawkeye uniform. And him and Xavier being very good friends is always a benefit as well. One of the things I feel like that helped Xavier a little bit was the ties he has to the Iowa football program even before this. Now, I know he's mentioned the atmosphere at Penn State. I know he's mentioned the ability to develop defensive backs, but you can't turn your back on the fact that he knew Gavin Williams. He knows some of those other Southeast poke kids.

How much of that do you feel like played into that recruitment? I think that was a big thing for him. It's a place where he's comfortable, and so he knows those guys. He instantly has some of that support system you kind of need when you go off to college, especially when you're a D1 athlete. It's go, go, go. It's a job, and you kind of need that extra person there to kind of be motivating you, not just the coaching staff. I think even the Iowa coaches would agree, when Marcus

Freeman got promoted, it kind of scared him a little bit, rightly so. But I definitely think those Iowa ties had a huge role to play. Plus, mom and dad are a two-hour drive away and can go watch anytime he's at home. Absolutely. So dad played, ran track at Iowa State, if I remember correctly. What is his excitement level at this point? It feels like obviously they're very excited, but do you think there was ever a push towards Iowa State?

Cause it really felt like Iowa State was never really in the running for, for Xavier. Yeah, it was kind of a weird recruiting thing. You know, you feel like with the job Matt Campbell's done up north, you feel like Iowa State would have definitely been in that running. But I think really, again, what Iowa has done with their DB development, you look at where they put guys in the NFL, this year's ball hawk group has just been nuts. I mean, let's be real. It's one of the best in the country. And for a kid to see that who's here in Iowa and say, I don't have to go too far. I know Iowa State might have been like, hey, dad played here.

But I think when you look at long term and Xavier's dreams are NFL, obviously. And so when you see that opportunity and you can be a Hawkeye to do it, come out to the swarm. And as you mentioned earlier, that Penn State atmosphere, that's the loudest I've ever heard Kinnick. So any recruit that was in that building was just floored by it. And so I think that really sold them on it. I mean, truly a phenomenal effort from the Iowa fan base. I was unfortunately not able to be at that game, but I got plenty of Snapchats making me feel incredibly sad that I was not there.

You mentioned defensive backs, and obviously Iowa could really call themselves DBU to a degree. I mean, a lot of schools have first-round picks, but Iowa does a lot with a little bit. And I think it starts with this secondary. You look at Jack Herner, Riley Moss. Jack Herner, a walk-on. Riley Moss, a gray shirt, turned scholarship player, got starting time his freshman year. Two very interesting cases that you can point to and say,

Phil Parker does a pretty good job of developing talent. Being in somewhat of the metro area, I know Riley was in Ankeny, but what was your experience covering them, and did you expect them to be at this level four or five years down the road? You know, to be honest, not really. You know, when they were coming out, you watch them, and they're really good dudes on the field. Right. But you don't think that. All right. B1 caliber. Yeah, they're walk on for sure. And but do they end up being the caliber that we see now? No, I think that's a testament to what Iowa staff does. You know, they were really good. But making that leap, it takes more input. It takes more time. And you don't always see that at the high school level. And Dowling just makes it look easy, right? I mean, they've always made it look easy with their lines. And so to see some guys out of the secondary really thrive at the next level, it's kind of caught me off guard a little bit. And so it's been fun to see those guys develop. And the depth that

Iowa had at DB and safety this year was really pretty impressive. It'll be interesting to see how those two kind of move forward, too, with their future. Yeah, I mean, Jack, from everything I can see, looks like he's probably going to the NFL when you play, you want to do senior day. I just get the sense that, to me, I look at Jack and I think, maybe your ceiling is kind of capped out of Iowa, right?

Like, what else are you going to accomplish at Iowa? For Riley, it becomes a bit more interesting, and I want to get your thoughts on this. When you have no PCL on one of your legs, What else are you going to accomplish at Iowa? For Riley, it becomes a bit more interesting. And I want to get your thoughts on this. When you have no PCL on one of your legs, how does that look going to the NFL and saying, I'm a little bit injured and I'm going to arguably you need to get time to be healthy again? I think that could be a big factor in whether or not he decides to go to the NFL. I know he accepted his senior bowl invite and he clearly has been playing pretty well without a PCL, but that has to be in the back

of his mind. What are your thoughts on that, and have you had any communication with the Moss family on that? Yeah, you know, I ran into Gary Kerner and Ryan Moss's dad out at the Big Ten Championship and talked with them a little bit, and you know, obviously, they're like, our sons are going to make decisions, whatever is best for them. They'll talk with staff, but they're looking to get through everything first here. But no PCL thing's interesting, right? Because, all right, let's say he does grind through it, gets back healthy for next year and is ready to roll with Iowa. You risk some re-injury there. I mean, will his stock keep climbing?

I'm not sure. I think his stock might be as high as it could ever be. And then you sit there and say, all right, can I get in with an NFL team who's willing to invest in me? Almost similar to, you know, I equated with MLB and how teams, you know, do the Tommy John surgery, that kind of thing. You know, as an NFL team willing to spend the money, get him in, get him recuperated and recovered and make him a long-term investment, so to speak, and maybe not an immediate investment. I think that'll be interesting.

And certainly, you know, the bowl game can help his stock. It can also hurt him or kind of show where he's at too, you know, so can that senior bowl. So it'll be interesting. Tough kid, though. Playing no PCL has got to be one heck of a thing. I can't imagine. All right, y'all.

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That's netsuite.com slash locked. All right, y'all. Thank you again for making the Locked on Hawkeyes podcast your first listen every single day. Also, make sure to check out the Ultimate College Football Playoff Preview 2021. Local experts, betting advice, and draft analysis. The most comprehensive college football playoff preview begins tomorrow. Let's get back to our conversation

with Jonathan right now. Especially when you're cutting as much as he is and how quick he is and how much he utilizes his speed. You brought an interesting perspective there that I didn't really think about was what if a team, maybe you drop a round or two because of it, but we have seen teams, the Cowboys did it before with the linebacker, I think it was Jalen Smith out of Notre Dame.

You've seen teams be willing to invest in players with an injury, maybe a round or two later in order to develop them and kind of get them at a nice little discount in that regard. And I would also agree the fact that what does Riley Moss maybe gain from coming back? He has the possibility of being re-injured. You also have that Desmond King effect where you just don't get targeted the entire year. And so there's not a lot of extra things you can show on tape and then maybe you don't test. Well, who knows what happens? So a lot of question marks, regardless of what he's going to do. Really exciting times, though, for both guys to be able to put themselves in a position to make the NFL.

We've talked, obviously, they're a little bit older guys. Before we started the show, we talked a lot about the talent in the metro area. Both of us, you graduated in 07. I graduated in 08. We're familiar with the state of Iowa recruiting. And I have never remember a time like now where the state of Iowa has been so talent rich. We were talking about it. Jordan Bernstein was kind of the big guy in 07, 08, that time frame. Adam Robinson was a gray shirt. That was kind of a big thing. But when I look at the recruiting classes for Iowaowa there's not a lot of scholarship players coming out of the state uh you have james vandenberg

uh gosh i cannot remember the uh the guy from uh sioux city um running back yeah um uh from wise men mark what no wick wigner right at wagner wick bumps yes yeah yeah so i mean you have like those guys but that's like one or two guys. And now Iowa is able to land six, seven, eight guys in the state of Iowa, including several guys in the metro area. What are your thoughts on how, how rich the state is in talent? Do you have any ideas on what has led to that? I mean, what is, what is going on right now? I mean, population boom's got to be part of it, right? I mean, you look at the growth of the Des Moines area,

just more influx of people. But I also think specialization in sports has kind of drawn out some of the best in these athletes. Right, they're training at a younger age, they're fine tuning at a younger age, and we're really seeing that pay off. But it's also not just CIML, it's like the 1A teams or the Class A,

and I mean, the Southeast Valley lineman who's been committed to Iowa for what like four years now or something like that he was the easiest recruit ever so I mean it's really interesting to see but you're right it's really grown talent pool wise Bernstein I remember from my high school days he was a head and shoulders above the rest and then he got to Iowa and kind of fizzled out a little bit right and so uh nowadays I think you're kind of seeing the opposite where you've got a lot of talent and maybe an overabundance of it where I was able to land some guys I think back to the quarterback who ended up transferring out out of

Dowling um I cannot remember his name yeah he's a Newton kid I remember him he trained left didn't go to Newton so that kind of sucks right you know know, and so it's those situations where we almost have an overabundance. We've got a lot of walk-on kids staying in state, which is good to see. Both teams here in the state, I know Hawkeye focus, but both develop walk-ons really, really well. But, yeah, it's crazy to see, and something you kind of have to appreciate and sit back and say, man, we're kind of spoiled right now in the state of Iowa, considering where we were five, ten years ago. man, we're kind of spoiled right now in the state of Iowa, considering where we were five, 10 years ago. It's fun to see like the Des Moines Register put out a top 75 player list for the class of 2022. And you see 40 guys on there with scholarship offers. That just wasn't the case

10, 11, 12 years ago. And I think to see Xavier, for example, be the highest rated recruit in the state of Iowa. And next year you get Caden Proctor and they're at the same school. I mean, you just don't see that kind of stuff happen in a lot of schools, especially in Iowa. So pretty incredible times nonetheless. Yeah, definitely. And even going back further, Gavin Williams who was at Southeast Polk and transferred over to Downlink his senior year. He's now number two on the depth chart going into the bowl game for the Iowa

Hawkeyes. And we saw a lot of reps out of him. I think he's got a bright future ahead. You've got guys like Arlen Bruce, who obviously, again, transferred to Ankeny. You know, all these players and athletes coming out of here, it's really impressive stuff. And it's not just like, okay, they're the work hard kind of guy. They're the work hard and loads and loads of talent that give them extreme potential. It's really fun to see. The other thing I noticed is that it feels like these guys, yes,

they're competing against each other at the high school level, but they seem to all have developed really good bonds prior to going to college at the high school level. You see them kind of recruiting each other. Maybe that's just, maybe that's just something I'm not used to, but you don't typically make friends with, with your competitors. Do you feel like that's something that's just maybe that's just something I'm not used to. But you don't typically make friends with with your competitors. Do you feel like that's something that's kind of happening? Is that with the seven on seven camp that with all the different types of teams that are going on where you're kind of combining forces with other metro schools?

Is that kind of playing into that? Yeah, absolutely. I mean, you hit it on the head. The seven on seven camps, I think, are kind of the game changer right now where all these kids are traveling around the Midwest or the country and trying to get looks. And I think that there's that mutual respect amongst them too, saying, look, we're all trying to get to the same place. There's no need to kill each other out here. Yeah, I'm going to load somebody up, but I'm definitely not going to sit here and disrespect you by any means. Now there is a little bit of that. Yeah. No, but you know, it really is that seven on seven. I mean, you hit on Xavier's relationships with some of these other recruits that are coming up in the 23 class. We talked to Caden Proctor after Xavier's announcement,

and it was really interesting to hear him talk. He's like, look, I feel X it's, it's still my decision. People are like, Oh, you're just going to follow him. And he really wants to make his own decision, but granted they're like brothers. They're pretty inseparable right now. So it'll be interesting to see how all of it shakes out. But you appreciate just that camaraderie they have and their hustle and grind after it. Yeah, I do want to talk about Xavier at some point, but I just keep having other questions for you.

So I appreciate you being willing to answer kind of the barrage of questions at you. Caden is going to be a really interesting recruiting case because it seems like right now iowa is probably the number one school right i was at least trending in the right direction but you hear things like i don't want to be compared to tristan worse i don't want to do exactly what xavier did i have i want to make my own choice to my make my own decision. You hear things like that. And I started wondering, how could he possibly go to Iowa, right? There's, those are big things that are going to,

they're not just going to stop once he commits, they're going to continue on until he potentially leaves or is able to be good enough to create his own legacy. Do you have any thoughts on that? I mean, I feel like that's just, it's kind of an unfortunate negative recruiting towards Iowa. Right. Yeah. I mean, you think about it. All right I mean, I feel like that's just – it's kind of an unfortunate negative recruiting towards Iowa. Right. Yeah, I mean, you think about it, all right. So when I was in high school, first thing I wanted to do was get as far away

from my friends and kind of create that new life for myself, right? So I went to North Dakota, got it. No one knew me up there, right? And so I think it's kind of similar in that sense of, you know, does he want to be compared to Tristan Wirfs week in and week out? Upon arrival, yeah, the staff's not going to do that. His teammates aren't going to do that. But everyone else around him might be doing that, the fan base, et cetera.

And do you want to sit on Twitter and see that stuff? I don't know. And so, and then you've got Alabama sliding you the paychecks of their first-round picks, and that's pretty darn tempting, too. I mean, he is a top-end recruit. He's a lineman like we haven't seen before, I'd say, in the CIML and just different. So it'll be interesting. I'm really excited to follow it because, again, it's not like Xavier where you had an idea already. I was in those final three. I think Caden will have Iowa in his final three or final five.

But when you look at the likes of SEC power or a big 10 power in ohio state as a line man it's a very different game you know it's not like a db situation where some schools develop better than others those old lines are all talented and they all send off first round draft picks absolutely that's a really good point um how how dominant is is caden at the high school level i mean and how do teams even do they just avoid him? Like, what do they do? I mean, it's hard to explain. Southeast Polk obviously runs off that left side a lot.

You know, I think the only way we saw people attack him was just load up that side and make him pick his poison. But anybody one-on-one when they were rushing him had no chance. And then on defense, I mean, he just fills holes. I mean, it's fun to watch it. You know, it was one of those, you just sit back and appreciate kind of like Xavier where he was laying lumber on dudes that, you know, again, he was just another class. He hits like Bob Sanders, so to speak, not quite as viciously and obviously not with the crown of the helmet as much as Bob did. But, you know, he just pops. And I think Hayden is going to have a great career on the offensive line.

But, again, he doesn't want to be compared to Tristan Wirth. He wants to be himself. And, you know, not that being compared to Wirth is a bad thing. I sure as heck wouldn't mind it. But, again, I get it. You know, he's a young kid and a lot of growing up to do, certainly. But I think he's got a bright future ahead wherever he goes. Right.

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BetOnline.ag where the game starts. Absolutely. Hopefully it does end up being at Iowa. We got 18 minutes in here and I actually haven't asked you hardly a single question about Xavier, which is why you agreed to even come on here. I do appreciate it. But so you talked about Xavier and kind of, and obviously Caden and how they just look different at the high school level. you look at xavier's tape it almost looks like he's running in slow motion and he did like i've watched him come down like that doesn't seem that fast but he's just breaking away from people is this something you can visibly tell on the field

like this kid is just head and shoulders above everyone else yeah i mean it starts with his size and stature when he walks out i mean yeah he's not like towering over dudes or this jacked guy, but he just looks like a college athlete already, right? And then you see him in warm-ups, and he's just warming up like it's no big thing. And, I mean, he runs effortlessly. He glides almost. Yeah. That's where I think he looks slow.

Yeah. You know, and to make some comparison Brees Hall is kind of the same way in my mind I watch Brees Hall run and you're like man he doesn't look like he's moving that fast but no one ever catches him he just glides away from everybody right um and so I think Xavier's similar to that but then I think what really impressed me and where it stands out the most is his sense of where the ball is going, not where it's at. He's on top of stuff. He reads plays really well. His eyes are always looking in that backfield, understanding what that development's looking like, but then he reacts just as quickly.

You know, he doesn't lag back. He's a true safety where he sees the running back. He's getting downhill on the running back before the running back's head is even to him, you know? And so it's, that's where I think his next level really shines, and I'll be excited to see what Phil Parker does to develop that even more. Absolutely, if you had to pick an area of opportunity then for Xavier's game, what would be the opportunity for him to continue to develop? What is the weak spot? Yeah, I just think it's continuing to develop that read on defense and disguising some things. Obviously, safeties get a little bit more intricate once you get to those next levels. CIML is pretty meticulous in how they run some of their offenses, but It's not just me out here. I can't just rely on natural ability and not that he hasn't worked hard for it either, but I think that's where it comes. The weight room, putting on that bulk, just getting stronger and continue to develop his speed. And I think

otherwise, you know, he doesn't get beat deep. He made a lot of great jump ball plays for Southeast Polk this year. I mean, the one that comes to mind was the walk-off winner against Dallin Catholic. And so, I mean, he's got that awareness. I just think it continues to develop his eye awareness and reading those quarterbacks a little bit quicker. Yeah, so with Iowa, the talk was that maybe he could play cash. Sounds like they've mostly been talking about him at safety. Now, I look back at what they've done with Cooper DeJean, a big-time recruit out of the state of Iowa. He's out of Odie Bowl, right?

Like it was O-I-B-A-G-C. Yeah, O-A-B-C-I-G, yeah. And I think part of that has Odie Bowl in it. Yeah. Or like something around there. I could be wrong. Someone might be hating on me about the towns. I'm not perfect with every tiny Iowa town, so I apologize out there.

But Cooper came in, and it was really expected for him to be a safety. That was my expectation. I thought maybe Cash. Now he's on the depth chart at cornerback because Phil Parker wants to get the top players on the field no matter which way you swing it. Is there a possibility that Xavier could play cornerback and excel early on in his career until there are opportunities? Because cornerback could be pretty wide open at this point going into next season. I think there definitely could be. I think you just kind of have to retrain him and find out in spring ball because I know he is looking to enroll early. I think

you find out in spring ball where he's comfortable, which side of the field. It's a different type of game when you're playing DB versus safety. Your reads are a little bit different. You have to react to the ball a little bit differently. I think Cooper's actually better fit for the DB position and just how agile and quick he is on top of his strength and size. I mean, shoot, I remember that 1A championship game. He put OABCIG on his back and just like said, I'm going after it, we're taking this.

And I've never seen a kid do it like that. And so I think Cooper definitely fits the DB scheme a little bit better. And again, it depends on depth at safety too. I mean, when you got Merriweather back there as a sophomore, Kerner could still come back if he wants to, and then it gets really interesting. So I think it just depends, but you're right. Phil wants to get the best players on the field, which is something we haven't seen out of Iowa.

I do want to make that point. Freshmen typically don't play on this team, right? So we're starting to see that break in with Arlen and Keegan a little bit on the offense. I think defensively you can't ignore the fact you've got the top safety in the class coming in. You've got to put them on the field, right? And so I think you shift Cooper down to cornerback and I think you keep Xavier up top and let him read defenses and grow in that capacity. Yeah. You do make a really good point.

Iowa has done a better job of getting freshmen on the field and not being concerned about, are they too big for the moment? But secondary is a tough spot. I mean, there is a lot of depth there. They have a lot of incoming recruits who are very talented. I don't want to not shine on the fact that like Quinn Schulte is a lot of depth there. They have a lot of incoming recruits who are very talented. I don't want to not shine on the fact that Quinn Schulte is a former walk-on who has played well when he's had opportunities. Sebastian Castro is a guy behind Cavan Merriweather who's worked his butt off. Obviously, Dane Belton more than likely is going to be back.

Terry Roberts, Jamari Harris, they've all looked good in their time. So it's not going to be just – I think some people might be thinking it's going to be a cakewalk. Xavier's going to walk in. He's going to start day one. That very well could not be the case, but it would be going to be just, I think some people might be thinking it's going to be a cakewalk. Xavier's going to walk in, he's going to start day one. That very well could not be the case, but it would be shocking to not see him get on the field at least a little bit. Iowa doesn't get those kind of guys. Even A.J. Paneza was on the field as a true freshman despite playing behind multiple year starters at all four positions.

Yeah, definitely. And I think the other facet with X is you've got to let him go make plays, right? At the end of the day, dudes make plays. And if he can go out and do that, definitely. And I think the other facet with X is you've got to let him go make plays, right? At the end of the day, dudes make plays. And if he can go out and do that, certainly. But he also understands he's got some older guys in front of him on that depth chart. He's going to have to beat out because they've got a rapport already with the staff. They know the playbook and you've got to be smart enough to fit that defense as well. It's not an easy defense to fully understand. To jump in, you've got to trust Phil Parker and buy into it. So I think, you know, the early enrollment is going to be a game changer,

certainly getting that spring workout in and going from there, I think is going to be huge. And I think that only adds to his ability to play week one next fall. Completely agree. Really excited about that. I have two last questions for you. What is Xavier like as a person I think a lot of people focus on the football player but I've only heard fantastic things about him as a person and his family what has been your experience with him as a person nothing but great things you know I've got to say some kids you know that have that high of a profile might have some arrogance about them or might have a little bit of ego and certainly you have to have some to be at the caliber he is but But at the same time, he's very soft-spoken, easygoing, knows how to talk using his actions versus just talking,

and saves what's on the field for on the field and keeps it kind of compartmentalized. You know, a hardworking kid. Obviously, you have to be to get to this point. And, you know, just a really nice kid overall. He's one that will take his teammates under his wing and kind of of go that route with it you know coach z over there has always respected him and always talked highly of him too i mean you got to remember this is a kid that was playing varsity as a freshman um on both sides of the football and so he's only grown in that

capacity i think he matured really quickly too uh and i think that's added to what what we'll see on saturdays That's super exciting. Yeah, like I said, I've only heard phenomenal things about him as a person, but we don't talk about it enough. My last question for you is what are some guys to watch out for in the metro area coming up? Yeah, you know, obviously Caden Proctor is the big one over there, but thinking off the top of my head, there aren't a ton.

This is a weird football season for us over here, still trying to navigate some of the COVID stuff, that kind of thing. But, you know, there are a lot of good guys in the 1A, 2A levels that you have to watch for. Valley's always cranking out some top prospects, and I think Dowling has a couple quarterbacks coming up to keep an eye on too. You've obviously got the Ankeny quarterback. Yeah, you know, he's going to be something special.

I watch him throw the ball and it's like, OK, here's a prototypical Iowa quarterback, right? He's got that length. He's got that height. He's kind of Nate Stanley-esque, you know, or I'd say he's obviously taller than Beathard, but he has some mobility to him. But, man, he drops some back corner fades that you don't see college guys dropping sometimes. So I think that part's fun. You know, there are some guys that go overlooked, and I wouldn't be shocked if you see, like, a Colin Cadolf come down the road.

I know he's committed to Mankato, but I think he's one of those guys that could be similar to, you know, Van Valkenburg and coming out and going the D2 to D1 route or what have you. And so I think it'll be interesting to see. Transfer portal just changes everything up in a lot of ways, but Eli Raritan at Notre Dame is going to be fun to watch. I know he's not coming to the Hawkeyes, but Valley's got a couple guys out there too that I think offensive lineman wise could be pretty special. Tons of fun. Yeah.

It's a great time for, for high school football in the state of Iowa. Jonathan, I've kept you pretty long. Where can folks find you at though for your social media accounts? Yeah. Check me out on Twitter, obviously down there at J underscore Schaefer,

W-O-I. That's the big one. I mean, sports is all over Twitter. I'm still not into TikTok yet. Just can't, can't. It's tough. It's tough. So Twitter's the best place. Otherwise, weareiowa.com. We'll have you

all week for bowl coverage. We're actually heading down the 27th to get the Cyclones covered, and then leading up to the Citrus Bowl, which is going to be a fun one, too, between Kentucky and the Hawkeyes. Should be a lot of fun. A lot of mutual respect between Mark Stoops and Kirk Behrens. Obviously, Iowa helping out with Kentucky in their relief fund for the tornado. So it'd be a really interesting game to see their very contrasting styles of play, which would be a lot of fun. Jonathan, I've had a blast talking about all these Iowa recruits, especially Xavier and Caden. It's been a ton of fun as always.

We'll hopefully have you on another time as well. And I wish you the best of luck in your next move. I know you got some exciting stuff coming up as well. Hawkeye nation. We appreciate you tuning into today's episode of the lockdown Hawkeyes podcast. Have a fantastic day. And as always, let's go Hawks.