Nick Madonia – Kicker – Senior – Tennessee Tech
Alex Khvatov: What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?
Nick Madonia: 5’9, 179 at the National Bowl. I ran a 4.72 my freshman year in college.
Alex Khvatov: Where will you be training for the NFL Draft?
Nick Madonia: I will be training with the strength coach at the school and kicking with my coach in Brentwood, Tennessee.
Alex Khvatov: Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in
you?
Nick Madonia: Out of high school, I was all-mid state selection. I went to a bunch of camps. Ohio University, Western Kentucky and Tennessee Tech showed interest.
Alex Khvatov: How did you wind up at Tennessee Tech?
Nick Madonia: Tennessee Tech offered me a preferred walk-on spot my freshman year. They didn’t have any scholarships available. They promised me a scholarship my sophomore year. I had to work for it. I had two years under a new head coach who came in during the sophomore season. I got the scholarship before that year. We got a new coach my senior year.
Alex Khvatov: What are your strengths?
Nick Madonia: I have very good accuracy, but my senior year didn’t represent that. I got blocked a couple of times. I have plenty of leg for the next level. My kickoffs are improving.
Alex Khvatov: What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?
Nick Madonia: Kickoffs, increasing my field goal accuracy and repetitiveness.
Alex Khvatov: Describe your overall career.
Nick Madonia: As a team, we didn’t have good seasons. We went 4-7, 5-6 and
1-10 last two years. As a team, we were never competing for division titles. My sophomore year, I set a FG record with a 57-yarder against Tennessee State. The record before was 52 or 53 yards at the school. I also hit a 54 and a 53-yard FG’s during my career. My senior year, I set a consecutive PAT record with 62 in a row. I was 15/22 my senior season. I had my best season as a sophomore when I went 13/16.
Alex Khvatov: What is the highlight of your career up to this point?
Nick Madonia: Hard to say. The play against Utah State my senior year when I kicked a 54-yarder. Also a 57-yard FG against Tennessee State.
Alex Khvatov: What is your favorite NFL team?
Nick Madonia: Titans. I grew up in Nashville. My dad has had season tickets since I have been three years old.
Alex Khvatov: Who is your favorite NFL player?
Nick Madonia: Right now, I love Mariota. Growing up, it was Rob Bironas. I worked out with him three times. He died in a car crash.
Alex Khvatov: What is the most important trait for a kicker?
Nick Madonia: Reliability. Every kicker will miss one from time to time. But it is the big kicks that matter.
Alex Khvatov: What players on your team should we keep an eye on next season?
Nick Madonia: QB Bailey Fisher is undersized, but he is a player. He will compete. He will do whatever he can to win. He was a freshman QB for us. LB Aderick Moore will be an upcoming senior. He has size for the next level. He is a big time player. Darrius Stafford is a big receiver and he is fast. He can go up and get the ball.
Alex Khvatov: What do you enjoy most about football?
Nick Madonia: Team atmosphere. Being in the locker room with the guys. You put a helmet on and compete. You work out for a reason. I love the whole football process. Everything that leads to the games.
Alex Khvatov: Tell me about your overall experience at the National Bowl all-star game.
Nick Madonia: It was a good experience. You get to perform in front of scouts. It was my first real experience in front of scouts. It was great having coaches that knew the process of getting to the next level. We had a specific time for specialists to show what we can do. It was a 15-minute period on Saturday.
Alex Khvatov: What are your hobbies?
Nick Madonia: I have a jeep. I like to go off road. My dad lives in South Florida. I enjoyed Florida when I went down there this time.
Alex Khvatov: What do you want to do with your life after your football
career is over?
Nick Madonia: After my career is over, I want get into civil engineering. I want to get an engineering job. I want to design roadways and bridges.
Alex Khvatov: What is the biggest lesson that you have learned in life so far?
Nick Madonia: You only get one opportunity. You have to give it your best shot. That applies pretty big to me. I will go to the Husted Camp from January 19th – 21st in Mobile, AL. It will be held before the Senior Bowl. I was also invited to the Zauner camp. It is a senior combine for specialists from February 22nd -24th in Arizona.
Alex Khvatov: What five words best describe you?
Nick Madonia: Dedicated, persistent, reliable, consistent and poised.
Alex Khvatov: Who will win the National Championship in CFB this year?
Nick Madonia: Alabama. They are so dominant this year.
Alex Khvatov: Who will win Super Bowl LIII in February?
Nick Madonia: I will go with the Saints. Drew Brees and Kamara.
