He’s back folks!
Wide receiver Nico Ragaini is back for his sixth season in Iowa City and it’s a vital retention for the offense. In a position of uncertainty, new quarterback Cade McNamara has at least one proven target returning in Ragaini.
Ragaini has been the same player over the past two years and plays a vital role in the offense. He’s the reliable slot target who handles the dirty work and moves the chains. He allows, in theory, other weapons free roam on the field as he takes care of the less glamorous parts of the game. It’s a very thankless position, and Iowa has been lucky to have a steady constant over the years in Ragaini.
The West Haven, Conn., native will be the veteran voice in the locker room, one who the rest of the team looks up to. He’s seen it all for Iowa over the past five years and will be a great mentor to a budding wide receiver group. Here is a look at what Nico Ragaini brings to the table in 2023.
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Nico Ragaini’s Preseason Player Profile
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
Hometown: East Haven, Conn.
Ht: 6-0
Wt: 196
Class in 2022: Redshirt Sr.
Recruiting
Andrew Nelles / Tennessean.com / USA TODAY NETWORK
| Stars | Overall | State | Position | |
| 247 | 3 | N/A | 6 | 202 |
| Rivals | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| ESPN | 3 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| On3 Recruiting | 3 | 1375 | 5 | 217 |
| 247 Composite | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Before Iowa
Bryon Houlgrave/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK
- Two-time Male Athlete of the Year in New Haven
- Earned All-New England recognition at prep school
- Earned all-state honors for final three high school seasons after starting as a wide receiver as a freshman
- Named to Walter Camp all-state team as a junior and senior
Career Stats
| Receiving | Rushing | Scrimmage | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Att | Yds | Avg | TD | Plays | Yds | Avg | TD |
| *2018 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | WR | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 7.0 | 0 | |
| *2019 | Iowa | Big Ten | FR | WR | 13 | 46 | 439 | 9.5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2.0 | 0 | 47 | 441 | 9.4 | 2 |
| 2020 | Iowa | Big Ten | SO | WR | 8 | 18 | 191 | 10.6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1 | 19 | 192 | 10.1 | 1 |
| *2021 | Iowa | Big Ten | JR | WR | 12 | 26 | 331 | 12.7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 26 | 331 | 12.7 | 1 | |
| *2022 | Iowa | Big Ten | SR | WR | 11 | 34 | 386 | 11.4 | 1 | 2 | 17 | 8.5 | 0 | 36 | 403 | 11.2 | 1 |
| Career | Iowa | 125 | 1354 | 10.8 | 4 | 4 | 20 | 5.0 | 1 | 129 | 1374 | 10.7 | 5 | ||||
Depth Chart Overview
Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports
Nico Ragaini has been a starting wide receiver for Iowa for two years now, and that doesn’t figure to change. There’s no way he would have returned for one more year to ride the bench. We’ll see what his usage is in his final year. Ragaini’s skillset best suited for the slot.
Quote Them
Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK
“So I’m just trying to be what an older player was to me when I was a freshman here. Just be as welcoming as I can, let them know if they have any questions for me, I’m open to answering them. Just trying to push them to be the best they can be,” Ragaini said.
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