Chima Chineke Envisions Success at Iowa

Hawkeye FR DE Arriving from Texas with Purpose

Chima Chineke (Photo: Chineke X Account) /

Being 6-foot-5, 230 pounds greatly aids Texas defensive end Chima Chineke on the field. However, his mind is just as important to his successes in football and life. 

The incoming Iowa freshman spends important time in thought. It includes mental repping pass rushing moves and reflection from his consumption of Anime. 

"That's always just been a thing about me," Chineke said. "I used to think it was overthinking, but really it's just processing things more. I think it's a cool thing I have." 

It came in handy when he was choosing between the Hawkeyes, Texas Tech, Oklakoma State, Oregon State, Kansas and Vanderbilt. He officially visited all of those programs last June. 

There was a strong pull from all the schools he visited, especially Texas Tech.

"It was closer to home, they offered me first and I had a good relationship with the coaching staff," he said. 

Chineke kept his mind open, however. He learned about Iowa's proficiency in developing defensive linemen. 

"They send people from my position to the league every year," he said.

The Hawkeyes played host to him for its biggest official visit weekend of the cycle. He and his family bonded with the other recruits and their families. Then, it was time for more deep thought. 

"It was my last visit coming off all of those visits. I really like the idea of one official visit with all of the recruits there. It's a really great idea because you get to know everybody, people I'm going to spend the next three or four years with," he said. 

It's not the place where Chineke pictured himself before starting at Plano (TX) East High because it's not the sport he saw himself playing in college. 

"I was mainly a soccer guy. I played club for like two years. Up to that point, I was adamant on playing soccer and trying to make it to the next level," he said. 

College interest in him started during his freshman season of football. It increased through the years, finally blowing up after his junior campaign. 

"I had a talk with my parents and coaches pretty early on, and they thought football was a better fit for me. It obviously turned out that way," he said. 

The athletic Chineke played four years of high school basketball, too. Plano East won the state championship this past winter, going 40-0. 

"It was surreal. It was amazing. I didn't play too much because we have a lot of talent on our team, but it was a great group of guys. The ending was amazing," he said. 

Chineke believes playing soccer and basketball helped him on the gridiron. He pointed to the former giving him stamina and the latter training his feet. 

It all added up to production. Chineke totaled 60 tackles (9.0 TFL), six sacks and three pass breakups as a senior. As a junior, he recorded 35 stops with 6.5 sacks. 

"I think pass rushing is my speciality. Everyone has told me that I'm really good off of the edge. I have multiple moves I can use to beat a tackle. I'm really good when it comes to stunting inside. Any plays where I need to hit another gap, I'm there. I can use my body to my advantage since I have longer arms to stop the run," he said. 

The 49ers' Nick Bosa is his favorite player but he plays more like Myles Garrett of the Browns. 

"I watch him a lot. He's an athletic freak," Chineke said. 

Watching film of Garrett, Bosa and other successful edge rushers is part of mental preparation. Chineke, who runs the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, adds those reps to field work. 

"It's picturing what I'm going to do in every situation. Then, I do a lot of cone drills. Since I'm a taller dude, I have to bend around the corner. I have to work on that the most," he said. 

Chineke's goal since committing is getting on the field as early as possible. He's planning on working to make that happen as soon as he arrives on campus later this week. 

"I have to understand that I'm not the guy anymore because it's a whole different level. I'm going to have to learn from the guys above me and adapt to the system as fast as I can. But I think I can compete to get playing time early on," he said. 

A clearer picture of where he stands will come into focus when he starts college practice. The information he gathers from that experience will help process his thoughts. 

It's how he approaches every day. Some of that world view is derived from watching Anime. Dragon Ball Z is his favorite show, and he's currently rewatching Bleach. 

"Those shows are great. They really help my perspective on life. It's cool stuff to watch," he said. 

As much as Chineke is excited for a new experience, he knows he'll miss home. That includes the Nigerian speciality dish, Jollof rice, prepared by his mother, Franca Chineke. 

"I don't think that can be replicated," he said. 

Chima said he's seeing more Hawkeye gear in Plano these days. He's pretty sure it's not about him. 

"It's Caitlin Clark. Everybody in my school knows her and talks about her," he said. 

Now, he's ready to leave his mark at the Big Ten school. That includes academically as a Business major. 

"I'm coming to be way better than I am right now. I'm looking to make a really big impact on the program and help us win some championships," Chineke said.