South Carolina center Nick Gargiulo is an extremely athletic interior offensive line prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft. Gargiulo ran a 7.33 3-cone and had a 35.5-inch vertical during the pre-draft process.
Gargiulo recently spoke exclusively with The Draft Network about playing in zone-based and gap/power offenses, his favorite plays to run in the playbook, which teams are showing interest in his services, and more.
JM: You put forth an outstanding Pro Day performance. You ran an elite 7.33 3-cone. You have outstanding size for the position at 6-foot-5 and 318 pounds. You also had a 35.5-inch vertical. How thrilled were you with the performance?
Nick Gargiulo: I was very excited about it. I thought I put my best foot forward and impressed a lot of teams in attendance. I have good size and I ran a good 3-cone. I felt really confident going into the Pro Day. I knew what numbers I was capable of producing. It was an even better showing than what I did at the NFL Combine.
JM: Have you noticed an uptick in attention you're receiving from NFL teams since then?
Nick Gargiulo: There’s definitely been some momentum building since the NFL Combine and going into my Pro Day. We’re constantly hearing from NFL scouts and teams that are expressing interest in me.
JM: Who are some of the teams you've chatted with or met with throughout the process?
Nick Gargiulo: I’ve had Zoom meetings with the Lions, Bills, and Colts. I’ve met with a lot of teams throughout the process, whether at the Hula Bowl, NFL Combine or Pro Day. It’s been a great experience so far.
JM: Can you see yourself playing in a Zone-based blocking scheme? Your athleticism seems to be tailor-made for that system.
Nick Gargiulo: I think I’ve had exposure to just about every scheme. At South Carolina and at Yale where I played previously, we did a little more power than anything else. We ran a lot of counter and power.
I have experience with both systems. I feel like I can play in any offense.
JM: What was your favorite play to run in the South Carolina playbook and why?
Nick Gargiulo: I would probably go with one of our wide-zone plays. I think it was something we did at a high level. We worked really hard on it during the offseason. We were able to stretch defenses thin with that play. We consistently picked up chunks of yards with that wide zone play.
JM: What was it like spearheading an offense that featured Spencer Rattler, Xavier Legette, and Trey Knox, to name a few? That was a lot of responsibility on your plate.
Nick Gargiulo: I can’t say enough positive things about Spencer Rattler, Xavier Legette, and all of those guys. Those three players specifically on our South Carolina offense, those are the type of guys you look for. They’re what a professional player is supposed to be.
I was very impressed by how they handle their business off the field and in the locker room. All three of them are exceptional players. It was a privilege to play for them and be their starting center.
JM: I love that. We've appreciated your time today. Why should a team use one of their draft picks on Nick Gargiulo?
Nick Gargiulo: You’re going to get a guy who will work incredibly hard every single day. I want to prove myself at the highest level. I’ve had a chip on my shoulder my entire career. I wasn’t heavily recruited coming out of high school. I’m excited to have an opportunity to play in the NFL. I’m excited to get to work wherever I end up.