Video: John Nestor on what he brings to the field for Iowa football
Defensive back John Nestor discusses a variety of topics at Iowa football media day on August 9, 2024.
IOWA CITY — Expectations are difficult to avoid when there’s talk like this.
Xavier Nwankpa provided a window to that last season when he compared John Nestor to a name that Iowa football fans should know well.
“I see a lot of potential in him,” Nwankpa said of Nestor, “kind of like a Riley Moss aspect of him.”
Moss, a highly accomplished player at Iowa and the 2021 Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year, now plays in the NFL for the Denver Broncos. Which is to say that Nwankpa bringing up Moss’ name in the same conversation as then-true freshman Nestor means something.
Then Cooper DeJean added to the discussion. This summer, the former Iowa star turned 2024 second-round NFL Draft pick was asked about Nestor.
“That’s like my little brother almost,” DeJean said. “He was my roommate in fall camp last year. He plays the game hard. I think Hawk fans will love him.”
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This is the type of discourse surrounding Nestor before he has ever started a game at the college level. So it’s fitting that during Iowa football media day on Aug. 9, Moss’ name was presented to Nestor.
“I knew the Riley Moss thing was coming out at some point today,” Nestor admitted. “But, yeah, Riley, obviously, he’s a great player … He’s such a respected name in our DB (defensive backs) room, someone guys look up to.”
If there’s an heir apparent in Iowa’s defensive backs room, it’s Nestor. Buzz surrounding his name has only amplified during the offseason. That makes it easy to overlook the fact that he is entering his true sophomore season. But it wouldn’t be surprising if Nestor breaks out at some point during his Iowa career.
How soon could it happen? And how might he fit into a loaded defense in 2024?
“He’s still growing,” Iowa assistant head coach Seth Wallace said of Nestor. “There’s so much growth that’s gonna exist between now and the time that he’s done here. And we’re just scratching the surface.”
A goal Nestor set out to accomplish in his true freshman season at Iowa was to be on the traveling roster. Early on, he came up short of that.
“Just seeing my name not on the list, it caused me to just fuel the fire, honestly,” Nestor said. “I just saw that every week and it was at the top of my board, goal of the week, travel, travel, travel, travel, travel. And that was something that I always had to reach for and always had to gain and work for. So that was probably my biggest thing that was just held in front of my head and in my vision at all times.”
The road matchup with Penn State, in a White Out atmosphere, was Nestor’s first experience on Iowa’s travel squad.
“It was good to see but also that wasn’t my end goal,” Nestor said. “My end goal wasn’t just to travel. So when I saw my name on the board I was like, ‘OK cool, I’m traveling, but now what’s the next step? What’s the next goal?’ Like keep on working, keep on working, keep on working. Next goal: Get on the field for special teams. Get on the field for special teams, make a play. Get on defense. Get on a defense, make a play. You know what I’m saying? So that’s definitely in the forefront of my mind this year.”
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Nestor’s rising stock was reflected in the release of Iowa’s pre-fall camp depth chart.
With the departure of DeJean, the Hawkeyes had a void to fill in the secondary. Nestor was slotted in as one of the two starting cornerbacks, along with veteran Jermari Harris. On top of that, Nestor was listed as second-team cash behind returning standout Sebastian Castro.
“John’s got some position flexibility,” Wallace said. “And I think, even on the short end of his career, him being here for a year, we probably haven’t seen maybe the significance behind the player or versatility that exists there. We’ve got him at corner. We’ve got him at cash. He can go play safety. He’s a physical kid and he’s got a little bit of thickness to him, certainly some athleticism that would allow him to do that from a physical standpoint.”
Somewhat surprisingly, Nestor didn’t get the start at one of the cornerback spots during the Aug. 10 Kids’ Day at Kinnick open practice, indicating a shift in the pecking order. TJ Hall got the start opposite of Harris, though Hall exited after suffering an apparent injury in or around the ankle area.
That Hall started over Nestor confirmed the competition for one of the starting cornerback roles. Deshaun Lee, who started six games last season, is in the mix. So is Hall. And so is Nestor. When Nestor was in on the action, he flashed why he has been regarded so highly.
“Working on my mental game has probably been something that I’ve improved on,” Nestor said. “I think the mental side of it definitely propelled me. I’ve definitely got bigger, faster, stronger. But also … (DeJean) and Sebastian Castro, and even Jermari Harris, they’ve helped me so much with my game. Really slowed the game down for me.”
Even if Nestor doesn’t get the nod to start, recent history has proven the value of cornerback depth. In 2022, Iowa struggled when DeJean went down in the regular-season finale against Nebraska. Last season, Lee started the first two games in the absence of Harris and the last four after an injury to DeJean.
Nestor is in position to be a contributor in 2024. What exactly that role entails is meant for Nestor and Nestor alone. Not anyone who has already forged their legacy at Iowa before him.
“Me being compared to Riley is … an often thing from the guys in our program and obviously some of the outside people,” Nestor said. “But I’m just trying to be the person I am gonna be. Trying to be the best John Nestor I can be every single day.”
Follow Tyler Tachman on X @Tyler_T15, contact via email at ttachman@gannett.com
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Publish date : 2024-08-15 01:18:00
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