Going into the 2025 football season, Nittany Lions Wire will examine each player listed on the Penn State roster. Over the preseason, each profile will cover the player’s background, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for James Franklin this season.
Offensive lineman Nolan Rucci ranked as one of the top recruits in the country out of high school but struggled to earn consistent playing time through three seasons at Wisconsin. Rucci transferred to Penn State ahead of the 2024 season and began the season as a backup before taking over for the injured Anthony Donkoh, blossoming into one of the Nittany Lions' top players throughout their College Football Playoff push.