The South Carolina football program had four alums selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Wide receiver Xavier Legette was chosen in the 1st round by the Carolina Panthers, quarterback Spencer Rattler was picked in the 5th round by the New Orleans Saints, defensive back Marcellas Dial was selected in the 6th round by the New England Patriots, and offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo was drafted in the 7th round by the Denver Broncos.
Legette, Rattler, and Dial secured spots on their respective teams’ 53-man active rosters following the preseason. However, Gargiulo was waived on Tuesday due to NFL roster constraints. Fortunately, he quickly found a new opportunity; according to Mike Kils of 9News in Denver, the Broncos re-signed him to their practice squad the following day.
Gargiulo joins fellow Gamecock rookie Dante “Turbo” Miller as a first-year NFL player who was released but promptly re-signed to a practice squad.
As one of the final picks in the 2024 draft, Gargiulo faced a challenging path to securing a roster spot with the Broncos. Despite dealing with some injuries during the preseason, he demonstrated enough potential to earn a place on the practice squad.
With Denver, Gargiulo will offer valuable depth across the offensive line, particularly at guard and center. He played various positions, including center, guard, and tackle, during his college career, with the majority of his snaps coming at center. Given the NFL’s roster regulations, teams can’t maintain a large number of backup linemen on the active roster, but Gargiulo’s versatility means he could be one of the first called up from the practice squad if injuries arise.
Before joining South Carolina, Gargiulo spent four seasons at Yale, where he was a team captain and a reliable fixture on the Bulldogs’ offensive line. At South Carolina, he played through injuries but started every game in the 2023 season, contributing at both guard and center.
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