Stampeding Through the 2025 USF Football Roster: #7 K Nico Gramatica

PLAYER: Nico Gramatica

POSITION: Kicker

YEAR: Sophomore

HEIGHT/WEIGHT: 5’8”, 165 lbs.

HOW DID HE GET HERE? This story started before Nico, even. It’s SPECIAL GRAMATICA INTERLUDE TIME! USF has a rich history of Gramaticas at kicker. To wit:

• Bill Gramatica kicked for USF from 1998-2000. He was excellent, and set a program record with a 63-yard field goal that still stands today. He was drafted in the fourth round by the Cardinals and enjoyed a productive NFL career.
• Santiago Gramatica, Bill’s brother, kicked for USF from 2001-2004. He’s third all-time in the Bulls record book for career points.
• Martin Gramatica, Bill and Santiago’s brother and Nico’s dad, did not kick for USF, but did kick for the Bucs for five seasons in the NFL. He made a Pro Bowl and won a Super Bowl in Tampa.
• To top it off, Ashlee Gramatica, Nico’s mom, played tennis for the Bulls from 1999-2002.

So basically, the Gramatica family is USF and Tampa royalty. So when Nico, who went to Cambridge Christian School in Tampa, committed to USF in June 2023 over reported offers from schools like Texas and UNC, everyone got pretty excited. Recruiting ratings for kickers are notoriously wacky, but it should be noted that some services had Nico ranked as the top kicker in his class. He signed with the Bulls in December and enrolled in January 2024.

HOW WAS HIS 2024 SEASON? Nico was undeniably one of the highlights of USF’s season. He went wire-to-wire as the Bulls’ kickoff specialist, but he made a name for himself as a designated “long kicker” who would often spell John Cannon on kicks 50 yards or longer. The Nico hype train really started gathering steam in the Miami game, when the following happened:

• In one of USF’s most hyped home games in a while, USF found themselves down 7-0 early to the #8 ranked Hurricanes. After the Bulls’ first drive of the game stalled out around the Canes’ 40, Alex Golesh… trotted out true freshman Nico Gramatica to try a 58 yarder for his first college field goal? And Nico made it! Check 1:01 below for the good memories.

• The very next play, Nico went back on the field to kick off … and hit an obscene, inch-perfect onside kick that USF recovered, but it was called back for offside. It’s not in the highlight video, but seriously, watch it again here. That kick has the placement of a flawless back-shoulder fade.
• OK, that all was cute. But surely not something that’s replic— JUST KIDDING TWO DRIVES LATER THE BULLS SENT NICO OUT FOR ANOTHER 50+ YARDER AND HE MADE IT AGAIN (2:48, above). RayJay was going bananas at this point. Unfortunately, the game ended there and the second half was never played. Bummer!

The fun didn’t end after the Miami game, either. Nico scored USF’s only points in the Memphis game with a 52-yarder right before halftime. He tried two more kicks on the season - a 53-yarder against Charlotte and another 58-yarder against Tulsa - but wasn’t able to connect on either. Still, finishing 3-5 on kicks from 50+ as a true freshman is nothing to sneeze at. He also recovered a key fumble on the opening kickoff of the second half against Alabama.

WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT IN 2025? As mentioned above, John Cannon handled most of the Bulls’ field goals in 2024, save for Nico’s moonshots. Cannon transferred to Western Kentucky this offseason, so I think Nico’s reign as USF’s starting kicker has officially begun. The Bulls also added Adam Zouagui from Davidson this offseason, presumably to take kickoff duties off Nico’s plate, so the newest Gramatica will likely be focusing on nothing but field goals in 2025. Based on what we saw from him in 2024, we should be very excited about this.

Wait! More SPECIAL GRAMATICA INTERLUDE TIME! before we wrap up. As of press time, Nico’s younger brother, Gaston, Cambridge Christian School Class of 2026, is committed to kick at USF. Gramaticas forever.