From now until the 2024 NFL Draft takes place, we hope to scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top 10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on South Carolina interior offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo.
#69 NICK GARGIULO, IOL, SOUTH CAROLINA (GS) — 6053, 318 lbs.
Combine/Pro Day
Measurements
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Nick Gargiulo | 6053/318 | 10 3/8″ | 33 7/8″ | 81 1/4″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.25 | 1.78 | 4.65 | 7.33 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 8’5″ | 32.5″ | 28 |
The Good
— Very good size and length
— Experience at multiple position along the OL
— Good balance and pad level at guard
— Lateral agility to mirror in pass protection
— Good awareness on twist/stunts or picking up late rushes
— Knows where to help when uncovered
— Mobility to pull or get out on screens
— Good positioning in run game; flips his hips into position well
— Got some nasty to his game and likes to finish his blocks
The Bad
— Core strength is adequate; can get wrenched around in pass pro
— Widens his pass set opening the inside
— Playing center, was slow getting into his set after snap
— Rises up after snap allowing defender to drive him back
— Needed help in pass protection at center
— Feet get narrow in pass pro
— Hand placement inconsistent on outside runs
— Pad level was generally too high in the run game
— Marginal leg drive to displace defenders
Bio
— Career: 37 games/36 starts
— 2023: 12 games/12 starts in only season at South Carolina (left guard 5/center 7)
— Third-team All-SEC 2023 (College Football Network)
— 2023 Rex Enright Team Captain
— 2022 lone Yale Team Captain
— At Yale, 10 starts at center, 14 at left tackle
— 2021 – broken right ankle/fibula
— Also played basketball in high school
— Working towards a master’s degree in sport and entertainment management
— Bachelor’s degree from Yale with a double-major of economics and political science
— Birthday July 19, 2000 (23)
Tape Breakdown
Nick Gargiulo is a graduate student transfer from Yale University. He began his season in South Carolina at left guard, but injuries shuffled the line around, and he moved to center in the second half of the season. He has very good height, weight and length.
As a pass blocker when playing guard, he has solid snap quickness with good balance and pad level. He displays lateral agility to mirror the defender with good hand placement and hand strength. On twist and stunts, he displays solid awareness, and when uncovered, he has good mental processing to recognize where the help is needed. On screens, he displays solid mobility and does well to find the defender. His anchor improved with the more experience he got at guard. As a center, he was tentative with his snaps initially, but found his rhythm.
His mobility in pass pro is solid and his anchor improved as the season progressed.
In pass pro or against the run, he displayed good awareness to find the free defender.
As a run blocker when playing guard, he was good at flipping his hips and positioning himself in the right spot. When he feels the advantage, he looks to torque the defender to the ground. On down blocks, he can stalemate with defenders, and he gets solid push on double team blocks. On combo blocks, he plays with his eyes up and displays good timing to stonewall a shooting linebacker or climb to the second level where he sustains his blocks well. At center, he flips his hips well to wall off defenders. His mobility is good to pull or climb.
He has a little nasty to his game and he looks to finish blocks.
He flips his hips well to get into good position.
His core strength is adequate, and he will get yanked around by defenders. In his pass set, he will get too wide opening up the inside to defenders. While playing center, he was marginal getting in his set after snapping. His hands were late, allowing defenders to stand him up and he needed help in pass protection. He leans a lot in pass protection making him susceptible to counters. When moving laterally, his feet get narrow disrupting his balance when engaged. His anchor at center was marginal and was driven back into the pocket.
Adding core strength to prevent getting tossed and setting too wide are areas to improve.
As a run blocker, his hand placement was inconsistent on outside zone runs. His pad level is too high in the run game and limits his play strength to displace defenders. At center, he was marginal getting the snap off and then getting positioned on zone runs.
His pad level overall needs to improve to prevent being pushed into the backfield.
Conclusion
Overall, Gargiulo has ample size to be an interior offensive lineman and has good mobility. He has experience at center, guard and tackle, but projects inside. In pass protection at guard, he is able to mirror defenders, has good hand strength and good mental processing. His anchor improved with more experience inside. On run blocks, he positions himself well to wall off defenders, is solid on double teams and has good timing to the second level.
Areas to improve include adding core strength, being more consistent with his pad level between run and pass and working on his footwork to not get too narrow. Improving his set quickness when playing center, improving hand placement on outside runs and playing with better leg drive would be helpful as well.
He has a lot of starting experience, and experience at multiple spots, which is always valuable. His size is an advantage, and with some added strength to go along with his mobility, he could be a valuable lineman. I currently think he is a better fit at guard but there is potential to play at center as well. He should find his way on a roster as a reserve interior offensive lineman with a chance to start down the road.
For a player comp, I had trouble finding a good one, but I’ll give you former Utah center J.J. Dielmann. He has experience, worked well to the second level and flipped his hips well, but needed to add core strength and improve on displacing defenders.
Projection: Late Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 6.2 End of Roster/Practice Squad (7th Round)
Games Watched: 2023 – At Georgia, At Tennessee, Vs Florida, Vs Clemson
