Wisconsin OL commit Nolan Rucci earns his fifth star
Wisconsin's record-setting 2021 recruiting class received another bump Monday morning.
Nolan Rucci, an offensive tackle from Warwick High School in Pennsylvania, received his fifth star as part of the Rivals Rankings Week.
Rucci is only the third Badgers' commit or signee to carry a five-star ranking during the Rivals.com era. He joins in-state standouts Justin Ostrowski and Josh Oglesby.
Wisconsin was the first school to offer Rucci, 6-foot-8 and 295 pounds, in September of 2018. Exactly two years later, he chose the Badgers over scholarships from Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Michigan, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Penn State and Stanford, among many others,
"I love how Coach Rudy (Joe Rudolph) coaches his guys and the development is obvious," Rucci said at the time of his commitment. "You can see the guys they've put in the NFL in recent years and the guys that they're going to be putting in the NFL. So I'm excited to be part of that process and make my mark.
"Can't wait to be a Badger."
Rucci, who will join his older brother, Hayden Rucci, in Madison next summer, is part of an offensive line class for Wisconsin that also includes four-star prospects JP Benzschawel and Riley Mahlman.
The Badgers currently have 20 commitments in the 2021 recruiting class, which currently ranks as the No. 14 group in the country.
FROM THE EXPERT
From National Recruiting Director Mike Farrell:
"The high four-star is all of 6-foot-8 and he could still easily add at least 20 pounds to his frame, so he has not topped out physically. Rucci is a dominant run blocker, he’s light on his feet, and even at defensive end he makes plays and gets in the backfield. The Pennsylvania lineman is already ranked high, and he hasn't maxed out yet. Rucci was a tough one because he’s still kind of thin as a 300-pounder, but he’s more filled out than a guy like Mike McGlinchey."
From East Coast Recruiting Analyst Adam Friedman:
"Rucci has taken his game to another level since the end of last season. He’s added significant lean mass to his frame and his overall strength has clearly improved. Rucci has always been very advanced from a technical perspective, but these physical developments will help make him exponentially more effective against elite competition."