Another South Carolina football rookie is re-signed to NFL practice squad

The South Carolina football program saw four alums selected in the 2024 NFL Draft. Wide receiver Xavier Legette was taken in the 1st round by the Carolina Panthers, quarterback Spencer Rattler was off the board in the 5th round after being selected by the New Orleans Saints, defensive back Marcellas Dial got picked up by the New England Patriots in the 6th round, and offensive lineman Nick Gargiulo was drafted in the 7th round by the Denver Broncos.

Legette, Rattler, and Dial all made their team's 53-man active roster after the preseason, but Gargiulo was waived on Tuesday as a casualty of the NFL's roster restrictions. However, it didn't take long at all for things to change for the big offensive lineman. On Wednesday, according to a report from Mike Kils from 9News in Denver, the Broncos re-signed Gargiulo to their practice squad.

Gargiulo joins fellow Gamecock rookie Dante "Turbo" Miller as first-year NFL players who were cut but immediately re-signed to their team's practice squads.

As the 2nd-to-last player picked in the 2024 draft, Gargiulo's path to making the Broncos' roster was an uphill climb. However, even while banged up a bit this preseason, he showed the organization enough to warrant keeping him around this season.

With the Broncos, Gargiulo will provide depth at every offensive line position, especially guard and center. He played center, guard, and tackle during his college career but played most of his snaps at center. Because of NFL roster rules, teams cannot have a large stable of backup linemen on the active roster, but because of his versatility, Gargiulo could be one of the first options called up from the practice squad if the team has to deal with any injuries up front.

Before transferring to the South Carolina football program, Gargiulo spent four seasons at Yale and was a team captain and a steady presence all over the Bulldogs' offensive line. With the Gamecocks, Gargiulo played through injuries but started every game, spending time at both guard and center for USC during the 2023 season.