The best for last, South Carolina OL Nick Gargiulo taken late in NFL Draft
He had to wait until Day 3 of the draft but former South Carolina offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo is NFL bound.
With the second to last pick in the seventh and final round on Saturday, Gargiulo was selected with the 256th overall pick by the Denver Broncos Despite this year’s draft featuring a deep amount of talent for offensive linemen, Gargiulo’s versatile played a key role in his selection. Starting at both guard and center last season for South Carolina, the 6-5, 317-pounder also started more than a dozen games at left tackle during his time at Yale. A place where he was selected, by his peers, to be the only captain for the Bulldogs for the 2022 season. In all, Gargiulo started in 36 of the 37 collegiate games he appeared in during his career.
[GamecockCentral for $1: In-depth coverage and a great community]
In his lone season with the Gamecocks, Gargiulo was asked to go above and beyond for a banged up USC offensive line. His play not only earned him All-SEC honors by College Football Network and received in invite to the 2024 NFL Combine.
During his time at Yale, Gargiulo was a unanimous All-Ivy selection and was named to the named to the New England Football Writers Association All-New England team, which honors the top FBS and FCS players from the New England region.
Named the lone captain for Yale in 2022, Gargiulo played a key role in the Bulldogs winning the Ivy League title outright that season. A season where Yale led the league in rushing, total offense, and scoring offense. This led him to receiving the “Ted Turner Award.” According to YaleBulldogs.com, the honor is “awarded to the Yale interior lineman who displays tough, hardworking, aggressive play while demonstrating outstanding sportsmanship. The Turner Award is a true student-athlete and role model.”
Honors Gargiulo received during his college career:
– 2023 Third-Team All-SEC (College Football Network)
– 2023 Rex Enright Team Captain
– 2023 Nutrition Award
– 2023 co-Gamecock Toughness Award – Offense
– 2023 co-Gamecock Toughness Award – Offense
– 2022 Yale Team Captain
Additional information on Gargiulo:
Graduate transfer from Yale University in New Haven, Conn., who played one season with the Gamecocks… versatile performer who played both guard and center… tremendous leader, as he was selected as a team captain at both Yale in 2022 and South Carolina in 2023… played in 37 collegiate games, 12 with the Gamecocks and 25 with the Bulldogs.
2023 (Grad)
Joined the team in January as a grad transfer and went through spring drills… shared the Gamecock Toughness Award for the offense in the spring with Josh Simon… earned a starting spot on the offensive line and started all 12 games in his only season in Columbia… was the only offensive lineman to start in every game… started at left guard for the first five contests and at center for the final seven games… recognized as a Rex Enright Team Captain and Nutrition Award winner at the postseason Senior Banquet… named Third-Team All-SEC by College Football Network.
[Get news from GamecockCentral via email]
2022 (Senior)
Selected as the lone captain of Team 149 at Yale, a tradition that dates to the 19th century… shifted from tackle to the center position where he played in all 10 games… coached by Tony Reno… the Bulldogs went 8-2 overall, including a 6-1 mark in the FCS Ivy League.
2021 (Junior)
Appeared in four games for the Bulldogs at left tackle… suffered a broken right ankle/fibula, which required surgery and caused him to miss the remainder of the season… Yale posted a 5-5 mark, going 4-3 in the Ivy League.
[Subscribe for free to Gamecock Central’s YouTube page]
2020 (Junior)
No season due to COVID-19.
2019 (Sophomore)
Starting left tackle in all 10 games for the Bulldogs… helped lead the top offense in the Ivy League… Yale went 9-1 overall including a 6-1 conference slate.
2018 (Freshman)
Served role as backup offensive tackle… Saw action in one game.
