The Indianapolis Colts have officially signed 12 undrafted free agents following the 2026 NFL draft, and among them is a name that could turn heads in training camp. Let's take a closer look at offensive tackle Nolan Rucci and what he brings to the table.

Rucci's journey to the NFL has been anything but straightforward. He began his college career at Wisconsin, where playing time was hard to come by. Seeking a fresh start, he transferred to Penn State and quickly became the starting right tackle for the past two seasons. That move paid off in a big way. Over 599 pass-blocking snaps, Rucci allowed just two sacks—a testament to his growing reliability in protection. In 2025, he surrendered 16 pressures and ranked 160th among tackles in PFF's pass-blocking efficiency metric. He was flagged only once and tied for 31st in run-blocking grade, showing solid discipline and physicality at the point of attack.

At 6-foot-8 with long arms, Rucci has the prototypical frame teams covet in a right tackle. He scored a 5.97 Relative Athletic Score (RAS) out of 10.00, ranking 648th out of 1,606 offensive tackles since 1987. While not elite athletically, his size and pedigree are intriguing. His father, Todd Rucci, spent eight seasons in the NFL, so football is in his blood.

NFL.com's Lance Zierlein offers a balanced scouting report: "Rucci is a tall, long right tackle prospect who made his mark at Penn State in the last two years after three uneventful seasons at Wisconsin. He has a proportional frame with room for more muscle mass, which will be important to add due to his lack of ideal play strength and anchor. His footwork and punch timing are too inconsistent at this time but could be correctable with more work. He's an average athlete in pass protection but shows quality initial quickness to compete for his landmarks on wide-zone calls."

So, could Rucci push for a spot on the Colts' 53-man roster? The opportunity is real. Bernhard Raimann is locked in at left tackle, but the right side remains uncertain. Jalen Travis is the expected starter at right tackle, though he's still relatively green. Behind him, Luke Tenuta and Blake Freeland are competing for the swing tackle role—but Tenuta has limited regular-season experience, and Freeland hasn't seen steady playing time since 2023 and is coming off an injury.

That leaves an opening for a player like Rucci to make a name for himself. If he can refine his technique and add functional strength, his size and bloodlines could give him the edge in a wide-open competition. Keep an eye on this undrafted rookie as training camp unfolds—he might just surprise everyone.