Nolan Rucci, Pennsylvania's Top Offensive Lineman, Commits to Wisconsin
Top Pennsylvania prospect Nolan Rucci, whose parents met as elite athletes at Penn State, is headed to Wisconsin to play football. Rucci announced his commitment to the Badgers' 2021 recruiting class Tuesday on CBS Sports HQ.
Rucci, a five-star prospect according to 247Sports' composite rankings, chose the Badgers over Penn State in a decision that heavily involved family. Rucci's parents, Todd and Stacy, were among the campus' better-known athletes in the early 1990s. Todd played on Penn State's offensive line, and Stacy was an All-American field hockey player.
Meanwhile, Rucci's older brother Hayden is entering his second season as a Wisconsin tight end.
This was an important recruiting pursuit for Penn State, which has missed on several of Pennsylvania's best prospects in the 2021 class. Of the six in-state players listed on SI All-American's SI99, five have committed to other programs. Gateway High safety Derrick Davis Jr. has not announced his decision.
But Rucci, who attends Warwick High, wasn't just a Penn State target. 247Sports ranked him as the state's top overall prospect and the No. 5 offensive tackle in the country.
The 6-7, 290-pound Rucci also listed Clemson, Notre Dame and Michigan in his top five. According to his SI All-American evaluation, Rucci has plenty of room to blossom.
"Rucci looks excellent on the hoof and has some tools and traits to be developed," his evaluation said. "His size and length are ideal for an offensive tackle prospect, along with his competitiveness, decent body quickness and awareness on the edge. He also plays with a good feel for stunts and twists in pass protection. Rucci will need to improve his flexibility, strength and learn to play with a lower pad level. He has a chance to blossom if he gets with an offensive line coach that can properly develop him."
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