NASHVILLE, Tenn. – How does someone who started playing football the spring semester of his senior year of high school wind up starting an SEC football game? According to junior linebacker Nick Rinaldi, it’s all about staying in your process and learning from those around you.
At Dover-Sherborn High School, Rinaldi played basketball and lacrosse and ran track but hadn’t picked up the pigskin since his peewee football days. A Tri-Valley League All-Star in basketball and track and field, and eventually football, his natural athleticism was clearly there.
The head coach of his high school’s football team had been wanting Rinaldi to play. It wasn’t until the outbreak of COVID-19 pushed his high school’s football season to the spring semester that Rinaldi could play without fear of injuring himself for basketball season.
“A couple of my close buddies and I were like, ‘It’s our senior year; let’s just go out and have fun,’” Rinaldi said. “‘Let’s just do what we can to get outside and be with others.’”
That spring, instead of deciding between two colleges where he wouldn’t have played any sports, he chose a third option—a postgrad year at The Salisbury School in Connecticut where he could have one more year of playing experience at the prep level before pursuing a collegiate football career.
“I talked to my parents for a few days—that’s really all I had—to decide if I could take an extra year,” he recalled. “We decided that was best for me. I thought I could leverage my God-given athletic ability to get into a good enough academic school that I couldn’t get into with just my academics. I decided on Vanderbilt later, and I’m very glad I came.”
Even with an extra year of prep football, recruiting was still not an easy process for Rinaldi. He was being recruited by a few Ivy League and Division III schools but wasn’t really being looked at by any SEC or Power 5 teams.
“I emailed a bunch of SEC and Power 5 schools that I’d be interested in going to with high academics as well,” he said.
Former Vandy offensive analyst and current Boston College quarterbacks coach Jonathan DiBiaso got back to Rinaldi and helped to accelerate his process to join the Commodores.
“I took a long shot on a preferred walk-on offer here, and I’m really glad I did,” Rinaldi said.
So, the next fall, Rinaldi packed his bags and headed south for Nashville and West End.
“It was a really big learning curve, just the level of football here compared to anything I’d ever seen before,” he said of his first semester at Vandy. “It was crazy. Luckily the coaching staff here believed in me, saw my athletic ability beyond my lack of technique when I first came here, and they developed me into the player I am today. I’m really appreciative of them for that.”
During his first year with the Dores, Rinaldi saw game action four times, making three tackles on the season. Fast forward to 2023 where he played in all 12 games, made 21 tackles, one for loss, and grabbed his first career interception.
“It was the physicality that I had to develop, because I hadn’t really been playing football that much,” he commented. “Early on, they had me in on just pass plays. Through my junior year, I’ve really tried to develop that physicality aspect and get to play on run downs and get to make a bigger difference on the field.”
With two seasons of college ball under his belt, Rinaldi stepped on the field at Kentucky for his first career start in place of injured teammate Langston Patterson. Rinaldi made five tackles, one for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in the win. The game in Lexington followed up a performance against then top-ranked Alabama where he recorded two tackles and his first career sack.
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“I think it’s just about staying in your process and understanding that everyone has different challenges, playing to your strengths and recognizing where your weaknesses are and trying to develop those into strengths,” he stated about his on-field improvement. “I credit my parents with this, developing me as a person to understand where my strengths are and continuing to stay in my own process, my own lane, and learn from others. I just think it’s so important to learn from people as much as you can because there’s so much you can take away from others’ experiences.”
One of the people who was most helpful in that learning was Patterson, a classmate in addition to fellow linebacker.
Patterson, one of four brothers, including former Vanderbilt football captain Kane Patterson, grew up surrounded by the sport. In his sophomore season, Langston led the Commodore defense with 74 tackles despite not starting a game. The Patterson brothers’ extensive knowledge and love of football proved to be beneficial for Rinaldi in his first years in Nashville.
“Langston, Cole [ Spence], Richie [Hoskins], Brad [Mann]—I can’t thank them enough for how they’ve helped me develop my love for football,” Rinaldi said. “I can’t imagine doing what I’m doing now without them.”
“I’d say his growth on the football field has been more than just about anybody else out here,” Patterson said of Rinaldi’s game. “He’s a freak athlete and always has been. I’ve seen him grow and work and do the things he needs to do to get better and be the best version of himself. It’s been super cool to watch. He’s been someone who’s attacked every day with a great mindset and that’s ultimately led him to play great football.”
Rinaldi’s efforts in the Dores’ back-to-back SEC wins are far from the end of his football goals though. In the future he has his sights set on becoming a starter and eventually hopes to be chosen as a captain in addition to many other personal goals. But ahead of his personal goals are those of the team.
“At the end of the day, what’s most important is winning,” he concluded. “I’ve found that’s been the most enjoyable recently, so whatever I can do to help the team win is what I want to end up accomplishing.”
Rinaldi and the rest of the Vanderbilt football team are back in action Saturday at home for a nonconference showdown versus Ball State at 6 p.m. Commodore fans can watch the game on ESPN+ and SEC Network+ and can listen on 102.5 The Game with pregame coverage on 94.9 The Fan until 5:30 p.m.
