Nick Gargiulo

Nicholas J. Gargiulo (born July 19, 2000) is an American football center for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Yale Bulldogs and South Carolina Gamecocks and was selected by the Broncos in the seventh round of the 2024 NFL draft.

Early life
Gargiulo was born on July 19, 2000, in Yorktown Heights, New York. He first played football in third grade and later was a standout at Somers High School, where he was a two-way lineman and also played basketball. At Somers, he won a starting job as a sophomore and helped them win the state championship the next year, being named All-League and All-Section. He received All-State honors as a senior and was chosen the league's most valuable player. He was named to the state's Super 11 and Golden Dozen teams but was a zero-star recruit for college, ultimately committing to play for the FCS Yale Bulldogs.

College career
Gargiulo redshirted his freshman year at Yale in 2018, playing one game, and then won the starting job at left tackle in the 2019 season. He started all 10 games in the 2019 season, and then missed the 2020 season as it was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He broke his fibula and right ankle early on in the 2021 season and missed the rest of the year. He then returned for the 2022 season and was selected team captain, ultimately winning first-team All-Ivy League honors as well as being selected All-New England by the New England Football Writers Association.

Gargiulo opted to play a final season of college football in 2023 and transferred to the South Carolina Gamecocks. He started all 12 games in his lone year with the Gamecocks, the first five at left guard before shifting to center for the rest of the year. Gargiulo was the team captain for South Carolina and received third-team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) honors at the end of the year. He finished his collegiate career having started 36 games, totaling 17 at center, 14 at left tackle and five at left guard. He played at the 2024 Hula Bowl and was invited to the NFL Scouting Combine.

Professional career
Gargiulo was selected in the seventh round (256th overall) – with the second-to-last pick – in the 2024 NFL draft by the Denver Broncos, becoming the first athlete from Somers High School ever to be chosen.