Nico Ragaini’s name was missing from the depth chart Iowa football released Monday. The senior wideout was a projected starter on the two-deeps the Hawkeyes distributed in March and July.

In Ragaini’s stead are sophomores Arland Bruce and Keagan Johnson. Bruce was bumped into a starting role in place of Ragaini, while Johnson has been a listed starter since March.

Ragaini’s absence also brings sophomore Jack Johnson and redshirt freshman Alec Wick into the fold. The pair will back up Keagan Johnson and Arland Bruce on Saturday.

Iowa Athletics has yet to provide any details regarding its Ragaini-less depth chart. Some reports indicate the 23-year-old will miss two games with the injury.

Nico Ragaini as expected not listed on the depth chart released on Monday. Hearing he could miss at least two games due to injury. Walk-ons Alec Wick and Jack Johnson listed as backups at both receiver positions. https://t.co/BF7xNGrtRB

— Pat Harty (@PatHarty) August 29, 2022

The Hawkeyes’ wide receiving corps was hit hard by the injury bug during the offseason. Sophomore Diante Vines hurt his wrist during training camp and was spotted with a cast at Iowa Football Media Day on Aug. 12.

“Diante Vines injured his wrist,” Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz said Aug. 12. “He’ll be in a cast. You’ll see that, and that is going to impact the beginning part of the season for him. That’s unfortunate. He was really practicing well and certainly would have been a guy who could help contribute to our football team.

“It’s not season-ending, I don’t think,” Ferentz added. “Hopefully, we’ll get him back here somewhere mid-season, whenever. We’ll just kind of take that day-by-day.”

At the same press conference, Ferentz said redshirt freshman and two-sport athlete Brody Brecht is also working through an ailment. Ferentz did not give a timetable for Brecht’s injury, noting that Iowa hopes to get him going “sooner than later.”

Keagan Johnson missed time during the offseason with an undisclosed injury. He returned to practice two weeks ago and appears ready to start against South Dakota State.

Keagan Johnson didn’t play against Kentucky in the 2022 Citrus Bowl. Iowa Athletics said he missed the game with a “non-COVID-19-related illness.”

Ragaini and junior Jackson Ritter are the only upperclassmen in the 14-man wide receiver room. 

Ritter won’t be available for Saturday’s game. At Big Ten Football Media Days in July, Ferentz said Ritter will miss the Hawkeyes’ 2022 campaign with a torn ACL.

Secondary shake-up

Ragaini isn’t the only starter that is slated to miss Iowa’s season-opener against South Dakota State at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday. Cornerback Jermari Harris, who was a forecasted first-stringer on the Hawkeyes’ spring and summer depth charts, will not be available to play against the Jackrabbits.

Harris was arrested for OWI on April 17. The 21-year-old was stopped at 2:46 a.m. for driving with his headlights off. Police documents indicate Harris smelled of alcohol and had bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. His blood alcohol level was recorded at .096 percent.

Ferentz suspended Harris for one game because of the incident.

Senior Terry Roberts will start in place of Harris, lining up opposite reigning Big Ten Defensive Back of the Year Riley Moss.

Joining Moss and Roberts in Iowa’s defensive backfield are senior strong safety Kaevon Merriweather and junior free safety Quinn Schulte.

True freshman and five-star recruit Xavier Nwankpa has not appeared on the Hawkeyes’ two-deeps at any point this offseason. The safety out of Southeast Polk High School enrolled at the University of Iowa in January so he could participate in the Hawkeyes’ spring training camp.

Kicking competition concludes

Sophomore Aaron Blom appears to have won Iowa’s offseason kicking contest. The 5-foot-11, 189-pounder is the No. 1 placekicker on the Hawkeyes’ current depth chart.

He and true freshman Drew Stevens were competing for a spot left vacant by Caleb Shudak, who now plays for the NFL’s Tennessee Titans.

Stevens and Blom made every kick they attempted in Hawkeyes’ open practice on Aug. 13. Before the pair took the field, Iowa special teams coordinator LeVar Woods said Stevens and Blom might share the Hawkeyes’ kicking duties in 2022.

“I think, as everyone knows, I like them both,” Woods said on Aug. 12. “I think they can both play … I could potentially see them splitting duties as well. I think that’s on the table.”