Nolan Rucci

● Tall, NFL-quality frame, with a large wingspan ● Good initial quickness to set up shop ● Adequate foot quickness; can swing his hips to line up rush paths ● Functional body control on pulls and climbs ● Allows size work for him to overwhelm and cover up targets ● Upper-body strength to keep defenders busy once he latches ● Penalized just once in 2025 (false start vs. Villanova) ● Grew up in a competitive household (his parents coached his youth teams) ● Tough and plays through minor issues 251 Back to table of contents -- 255 of 629 --

● Only one season as a full-time starter ● Plays tall and struggles activating consistent leverage in all phases ● Needs to continue strengthening frame to match up with NFL talent ● Can be bullied from his spot — anchor shows immediate cracks vs. power ● Want to see more consistent technique and violence in run-blocking reps ● Hands tend to be late reacting to counter moves

A starter for one-and-a-half years at Penn State, Rucci lined up at right tackle in former offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s balanced (zone/gap) scheme. A former five-star recruit, he struggled to see the field at Wisconsin (70 snaps over three seasons) before transferring back home and joining Penn State’s offensive line rotation. He became a full-time starter in his fifth season and achieved All-Big Ten honors. Rucci’s college football trajectory didn’t go quite as planned, but he heads to the NFL coming off his best season. He is a towering athlete and offers functional quickness in both pass protection and the run game. He has enough body fluidity to combat speed off the edge, although his struggles are more prominent versus power. In the run game, he struggles to roll his hips and ends up lunging at his waist. Overall, Rucci has tools worth developing, but he’ll need to improve his leverage and functional strength before he’s ready for NFL snaps. He is a project worth stashing on the practice squad.