The NFL Draft begins Thursday, and the consensus is that Nolan Rucci will either be taken in the last round of the three-day, seven-round selection process, or scooped up by a team as an undrafted free agent.
Whatever the case, Rucci, an offensive tackle from Warwick and Penn State, seems certain to wind up in one of the minicamps or organized team activities that commence soon after the draft. And if all goes well he will likely find himself in a training camp this July as well.
That’s because the 6-8, 314-pound Rucci is big, and will likely get bigger. Because he showed promise while starting at right tackle the last year and a half at Penn State. And because of his bloodlines.
His maternal grandfather, former Franklin & Marshall head coach Tom Gilburg, played at Syracuse and for the old Baltimore Colts. Nolan’s dad, Todd, was an offensive lineman at Penn State who spent eight NFL seasons with the New England Patriots, most of them as a starter. His mom, Stacy, was an All-American field hockey player at PSU, and his older brother Hayden, a tight end, played four games for the Dolphins last year after starting his pro career in 2024 on Miami’s practice squad. He is now on the 49ers’ roster, having signed a reserve/futures contract with them after last season.
Nearly all of that is noted on the various evaluations that have emerged in the weeks leading up to the draft. Typical is the one by Dane Brugler of The Athletic, who again this year compiled a 300,000-word guide known as “The Beast.”
Brugler, who ranked Rucci 22nd among the 146 offensive tackles he graded, noted as strengths his frame, quickness and body control, while pointing out that Nolan was flagged for just one penalty in 2025, a false start against Villanova.
Also, Brugler wrote that Rucci is “tough and plays through minor issues,” which is music to the ears of any offensive lineman.
At the same time Brugler questioned Rucci’s strength and consistency, writing that he “plays tall and struggles activating consistent leverage in all phases,” “can be bullied from his spot” and needs to show “more consistent technique and violence in run-blocking reps.”
In sum, Brugler wrote that Rucci “has tools worth developing” and called him “a project worth stashing on the practice squad.”
Rucci was a five-star prospect coming out of Warwick in 2021, and wound up joining his brother at Wisconsin. Nolan spent three years in Madison, redshirting the first and appearing in six games over the next two, with his most notable moment a game-winning touchdown catch on a tackle-eligible play against Illinois in 2023.
In ‘24 he transferred to his parents’ alma mater, earning a starting spot because of an injury to Anthony Donkoh midway through that season, which saw the Lions reach the College Football Playoff semifinals. Rucci was then a season-long starter last fall.
Like Brugler, Lance Zierlein of NFL.com likes Rucci’s frame but sees room for improvement, writing that it will be crucial for him to add muscle because of his “lack of ideal play strength and anchor.” Moreover, Zierlein wrote, Rucci’s footwork and punch need to improve, though that might just be a matter of seeing more reps.
But again, DNA matters. Zierlein made note of Todd’s NFL experience and said that those bloodlines and Nolan’s potential upside “could make him a late-round target.”