Michigan Target Film Study: Nolan Rucci

Offensive tackle Nolan Rucci is a natural talent at offensive line, and he is one of the top players left on Michigan's board in the 2021 class.

With 17 total commits in the 2021 class, Michigan's group of offensive line pledges is as strong as any in the nation. Michigan has a bit of versatility among the group as four-star Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy's Greg Crippen could play either guard or center in college, so that helps to balance out the group.

But one player who would likely be a take any time from now until National Signing Day is Lititz (Pa.) Warwick offensive tackle Nolan Rucci. At 6-8 and 295 pounds, Rucci has a massive frame that makes his above average mobility all the more impressive. From a size perspective, Rucci routinely overwhelms his opponents and washes out defensive linemen regularly given the mismatch.

From a recruiting standpoint, the returns are quite mixed on where Rucci will end up. Rivals.com has Rucci rated as a four-star prospect and as the No. 6 offensive tackle in the country, so his offer list is plentiful. Michigan extended an offer to the blue chip prospect during the tail end of 2018, and the Wolverines have been able to get him on campus twice so far.

However, many are bullish on the work that Clemson, Penn State and Wisconsin have done in recruiting the highly coveted blocker. Currently, the crystal ball predictions submitted for Rucci are spread between that trio of schools.

From a run blocking standpoint, Rucci has all the tools required to succeed at that department in college. He moves very well and can quickly transition to the second level on rushing plays, and his power is evident as he dishes out pancakes one after another. At times, Rucci does not stay low and gives up leverage, which is a byproduct of his size and flexibility.

During pass protection, Rucci is not quite a technician with his skill set, and more often than not he relies on his physical gifts to wash out pass rushers. Now, this is enough to get by at the high school level but is an area he will likely need to tend to in college. Rucci has length at the tackle position and is powerful enough to explode into defensive lineman when he engages and can redirect them off their path to the quarterback.

In both run and pass instances, Rucci has sound footwork and he looks like a fluid athlete overall, so landing him is a priority for a lot of schools, Michigan included. Rucci has strong ties to other Big Ten programs, though, as his father played at Penn State and his brother is currently a tight end for Wisconsin. That said, Rucci has taken multiple visits to check out Clemson's campus, so the Tigers have strong reason to feel optimistic about their chances in this recruitment as well.

Look for Michigan to try hosting Rucci for an official visit once the recruiting dead period is lifted. The potential of Rucci joining Michigan's class would all but cement U-M's offensive line group as the best in America and could push the Wolverines into the top five nationally.

How would you feel about Michigan's offensive line haul if Rucci were to join the fold? Would that convince you to shift Giovanni El-Hadi to guard or keep him at tackle? Let us know!