Wisconsin football wins huge recruiting battle for 5-star OT Nolan Rucci

Wisconsin football scored a big win on the recruiting trail with the commitment from five-star offensive tackle Nolan Rucci over Penn State, Alabama, Clemson and other elite programs.

The Wisconsin Badgers offensive line received a huge addition when the five-star offensive tackle out of Pennsylvania’s Warwick High School committed on Tuesday. The 6-foot-8, 295 pounder is the No. 14 player nationally, No. 5 offensive tackle, and the top player in Pennsylvania according to the 247Sports Composite. Wisconsin now has the No. 16 class and the No. 3 class in the Big Ten.

He chose the Badgers over Clemson, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State, Ohio State, LSU and Stanford. This is a huge pickup for the Badgers offensive line which has a reputation for being one of the best offensive lines in college football, and a big blow to Penn State who loses the top recruit in their backyard.

Rucci’s older brother, tight end Hayden Rucci, joined the Badgers during the 2019 recruiting cycle so the family connection was a big factor in his decision as well.

Adding the five-star tackle gives Wisconsin football another elite offensive lineman to mold into being a future NFL Draft pick

What jumps out at you on film about Rucci is his run blocking. He has a quick first step off of the line of scrimmage and once he engages with a defender, they have no chance. He blocks them all the way through the whistle which is good news for Badgers head coach Paul Chryst. He joins four-star offensive tackles JP Benzschewel and Riley Mahlman along with running backs, Jackson Acker and Loyal Crawford. The Badgers know how to run the football at a high level. They finished second in rushing last season with an average of 238.4 yards per game, 5.4 rushing yards per carry and 20 touchdowns.

According to 247 Sports’ Steve Wiltfong, the connection between Nolan and the Wisconsin Badgers goes back to when he was in the eighth grade and Hayden was taking recruiting visits. “While we were there on one of my first visits Coach (Joe Rudolph) Rudy took me aside and we met 1-on-1 and went over offensive line video when my brother was on one of his visits and that was pretty special to me. Wisconsin was one of my first offers as well so I’ve always felt a close connection with that staff.”

As he said in the interview above announcing the commitment, Rucci wants to make his mark and recognizes that Rudolph knows how to develop offensive linemen and get them through to the next level. Badgers fans should look forward to Rucci making big plays when he puts on a  uniform in 2021.

For more NCAA football news, analysis, opinion and unique coverage by FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff rankings, be sure to bookmark these pages.