Nolan Rucci – Page 2 – Syndication Server

CHECK IT OUT: Best pics from Badgers 25-21 win over Illinois

Badgers rally for crucial win

The Badgers football team travelled to Illinois for a conference matchup on Saturday in Champaign, beating the Fighting Illini 25-21. Illinois went up 14-0 early, but Wisconsin was able to rally back.

Wisconsin had redshirt freshman Braedyn Locke under center, replacing Tanner Mordecai (hand) at quarterback. Locke was able to compile 240 passing yards and two touchdowns.

Illinois was led by their quarterback Luke Altmyer, who had 100 passing yards and 100 rushing yards in the contest.

The most notable play of the game came when Locke was able to connect with backup offensive lineman Nolan Rucci for a three-yard touchdown with 27 seconds left, giving Wisconsin the 25-21 victory.

Here are some of the best pictures from the game:

Top three offensive tackles in Big Ten for 2023

No Buckeyes make the top offensive tackle list #GoBucks #B1G

The Big Ten is known for its powerful offense and great offensive lines, but I am not so sure that will be the case this year. At the offensive tackle position, there are two top-flight, elite-level possible first-round draft choices and then there are a few guys with the potential to break out.

The two top-flight prospects are numbers one and two, but the order of those players will surprise most. The third player chosen isn’t even a projected starter by most pundits but was a highly recruited kid with some serious hype.

Ohio State fans may be a little disappointed by the absence of Buckeyes, but when comparing what resides in Columbus to the rest of the conference, it makes sense.

2023 Buckeyes Wire Preseason All-Big Ten team: Offensive Linemen

We dive into our predictions for the All-Big Ten offensive line. #GoBucks #B1G

The 2023 college football season is right around the corner and the Big Ten is loaded with top-notch talent and predicting who will end up on the All-Big Ten has proven challenging. Not only was it hard to choose one player over another, but it was also hard to admit that the Michigan Wolverines have a number of studs that will potentially wreak havoc on the rest of the conference.

This list is going to dive into the offensive linemen and as expected the Big Ten has some dominant offensive linemen that make it very hard to narrow it down to just five. This list will not make Ohio State fans happy, but the reality is there is some elite talent in the trenches of the Big Ten.

In the age of the transfer portal, it is possible for a complete dark horse to rise as a frontrunner, but we will do our best to provide the most educated guess based on previous performances and situations.

Badgers PFF grades: Top 5 offensive players from week 1 victory over Illinois State

Here’s a look at the top 5 highest graded offensive players from Wisconsin’s 38-0 victory over Illinois State, according to Pro Football Focus:

The No. 18 Wisconsin Badgers (1-0) kicked off its season opener at Camp Randall on Saturday night with a 38-0 victory over the visiting Illinois State Redbirds.

Wisconsin’s new-look offense under Bobby Engram produced 440 total yards and scored 38 points with a balanced offensive attack.

Third-year starting quarterback Graham Mertz looked sharp against Illinois State, completing 14 of 16 passes for 219 yards and one touchdown with no turnovers.

Doak Walker hopeful Braelon Allen also carried the ball 14 times for 148 yards and two touchdowns, including one in the first half that went for 96 yards and gave the Badgers a 14-0 advantage that set the tone for the remainder of the game.

Here’s a look at the top 5 highest graded players from Wisconsin’s 38-0 victory over Illinois State, according to Pro Football Focus.

Top 25 rated Wisconsin football offensive recruits of all time

Based on 247Sports’ composite rankings, here are the top 25 offensive recruits in Wisconsin history

Wisconsin has always recruited well close to home, and that is reflected when looking back on the highest-ranked offensive recruits to ever commit to the Badgers.

The Badgers have never been a place known to rack up five-star prospects, but at certain positions they are up there with anybody in the country in terms of recruiting history and on-field performance. The offensive position that unsurprisingly leads the way in the rankings of top Badger recruits? The offensive line, and more specifically midwest natives along the line.

Going strictly off of 247Sports’ composite rankings, here are the top 25 rated Wisconsin football offensive recruits of the modern recruiting era:

Top recruit from each team Notre Dame will face in 2021

The Irish could face some very good true freshman this fall

The recruiting world has changed, no longer do prospects who are highly ranked have to wait their turn when they arrive to their respective college campuses. Each year more and more true-freshman get significant playing time and the opportunity to make an impact. Here are the top incoming recruits, according to the 247Sports composite rankings, from each team that Notre Dame will face this fall.

PHOTOS: Wisconsin football gets ready for the 2021 season

Some of the best photos of the latest Wisconsin football team as they gear up for the upcoming season

With the start of the season less than two months away, Wisconsin football is gearing up for the start of fall camp with many new and familiar faces.

Before the start of every season, players often get to check out the new uniforms and model them to make promotional videos and graphics for the season. Many Badgers including senior wide receiver Danny Davis and sophomore tight end Hayden Rucci posted some of their favorite photos to their social media.

Here are some of the best photos of the latest Wisconsin Badgers team as they gear up for the upcoming season:

ESPN names the Wisconsin class of 2021 signee with the most potential

The Wisconsin football program will begin spring practice Tuesday, March 30. The date turns the page to the 2021 football season

The Wisconsin football program will begin spring practice Tuesday, March 30.

The date turns the page to the 2021 football season, the team beginning offseason work without departed seniors and with some early enrollees in the incoming recruiting class.

During this time last year, college sports were all on hold, a pause that showed during Wisconsin’s 2020 campaign. A full offseason is critical to the success of this program, especially with an underclassman in Graham Mertz under center, and Tuesday marks the real start of that offseason process.

In light of spring practices beginning across the country, ESPN put together the commits with the most potential from its top 25 teams in the 2021 recruiting class.

At No. 16: Wisconsin signee Nolan Rucci.

Here’s what the ESPN piece had to say:

“Big, hulking offensive linemen are synonymous with Wisconsin, right? The Badgers signed three ESPN 300 offensive linemen in the 2021 class, and Rucci was ranked the highest at No. 36 overall. He’s a 6-foot-7, 290-pound tackle out of Lititz, Pennsylvania, and fits exactly the mold of what a Wisconsin offensive lineman looks like. He had some of the biggest programs in the country after him, and while he has some things to polish up early on in his college career, he has a chance to continue the success Wisconsin has seen along the line throughout his career.

Scouting report: Rucci brings a lot of the physical tools to develop into an outstanding college tackle. He’s tall, he possesses ideal length and is also a flexible big man that can play with leverage. He is effective with his hands with good feet and toughness. With his big frame, Rucci still has nice upside with room to physically develop and should benefit from time in the Badgers’ weight program. — Haubert”

With former five-star OT Logan Brown set to battle for a job this year and Rucci about to enter the program, Wisconsin’s future at tackle looks about as bright as it ever has.

Contact/Follow us @TheBadgersWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Wisconsin news, notes, opinion and analysis.

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The best Wisconsin football recruit from every state since 2000

With the traditional National Signing Day now behind us for the class of 2021, we found the best recruit the Wisconsin football program has

The Wisconsin football program isn’t mentioned with the Ohio States, Alabamas and Clemsons of the world when it comes to recruiting.

The program knows what it does well, that being recruiting in the midwest and finding fits for the scheme and culture of the school.

But even so, we have seen the Badgers extend to nearly every region of the country to find talent. And even if some of the program’s best players were transfers (Russell Wilson, J.J. Watt), walk-ons (Jim Leonhard) and unheralded recruits (Jonathan Taylor), there have still been some big-time recruits in the program’s history.

With the traditional National Signing Day now behind us for the class of 2021, we thought it would be valuable to go back in the 247Sports Composite of all-time recruits and find the best recruit Wisconsin has landed from every state. The players had to join the Badger football program after committing, so there were a few names from Utah that were not eligible for the list. We are including, however, the players from the school’s incoming class that have signed their letter of intent.

Before we get started, there are 29 states represented here including the District of Columbia, meaning there are 22 that aren’t. The states you won’t see on this list: Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisana, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wyoming.

So, here is the best recruit Wisconsin has landed from every state since 2000:

2021 Wisconsin Football Preview: Early breakout players, true freshmen to watch

The Wisconsin Badgers’ 2020 football season saw sophomore ILB Leo Chenal, freshman RB Jalen Berger, freshman OLB Nick Herbig and others…

The Wisconsin Badgers’ 2020 football season saw sophomore ILB Leo Chenal, freshman RB Jalen Berger, freshman OLB Nick Herbig and others break onto the scene and make their names known.

The team would not have had the same success without these guys and what they did on the field, as Chenal and Herbig were two of the driving forces on defense and Berger was far-and-away the best option in the backfield.

Going into any season there will be hype given to certain players and positions, hype which I expect the three names above to receive as well as QB Graham Mertz, WR Chimere Dike and NT Keeanu Benton.

Related: The Badgers’ projected 2021 depth chart on offense, defense

But aside from the names that every Badger fan knows and players that we know will take a step forward, who else should you watch and keep on your radar?

I set out to answer that question in this week’s edition of way-too-early breakout players and freshmen to watch for the 2021 football season.

For 2020 season review: