Rucci-on-Rucci: Breaking down Wisconsin commit Nolan Rucci

Todd and Stacy Rucci have already seen their sons play on a high school football field together. Now as Nolan Rucci is set to sign with Wisconsin this week during the early signing period, how would they feel to potentially see their boys do so at the college level?

“I don't know if I can describe it in words," Todd Rucci told BadgerBlitz.com on Dec. 11.

Rucci recalled the play where his sons -- Nolan at left tackle and older brother, Hayden, at tight end -- not only were in the same huddle during the younger sibling's sophomore season but right next to each other.

"When those two lined up together in three-point stances, I almost teared up," Rucci said.

As a father, "a football guy," and someone who has coached both of his sons, seeing Hayden and Nolan work together throughout that season, talking about plays, Rucci acknowledged "it was really cool."

The Rucci family has achieved a lot of success at the college level. Their mother, Stacy, was an All-American in field hockey at Penn State. Todd played football for the Nittany Lions before embarking on a lengthy NFL career. Now both of their sons will stay within the Big Ten Conference and play for head coach Paul Chryst and the Badgers.

The highest-ranked Wisconsin commit for the 2021 class, Nolan Rucci is set to be the program's first five-star signee in Rivals.com's rankings since Josh Oglesby. The No. 26 player overall in the nation for this cycle, he will also join Hayden as a Badger.

"I am, we are really excited, No. 1 for both of those guys to have chosen the caliber program of Wisconsin," Rucci said. "We're just excited that they're going to have the opportunity to share the locker room, and if they're able to step on the field at some point together, that's just a bonus. But I think we're just excited that they're going to be in the same place, and we’re able to go see them in one town and make one trip. We're just really excited that they chose, obviously one place, but they chose it for the right reasons.”

In a new BadgerBlitz.com series during this 2021 early signing period, we introduce "Rucci-on-Rucci" -- a Q&A with Todd talks about Nolan's development, his recruiting process that led him to Wisconsin and more.

The interview has been lightly edited.