Irish Have Elite 2018 TE's Attention

Nick Lombardo didn’t know exactly what to expect, but he was optimistic and the Lindenhurst (N.Y.) High School football head coach ended up getting more than he could have ever imagined. 

With a couple players preferring to stay on the junior varsity at the start of the 2014 season, Lombardo talked with Jeremy Ruckert’s father about bringing the freshman up to varsity.

“I said, ‘Let’s give him a shot. If he’s unable to do it, we’ll send him to the JV team and let him get groomed or whatnot,’” Lombardo remembered. 

Initially, the plan was to have Ruckert help out on defense, but with a couple pass-catchers out for the opener, the 13-year-old filled in on offense as well.

“First game of the year, we’re in a barnburner 0-0,” recalled Lombardo. “We win 14-0 and he scores both touchdowns.” 

Since then, Ruckert has gone on to become one of the top tight end prospects in the Class of 2018.

“The kid just kept growing in confidence,” his coach said. “The proof is in the results.” 

And in the scholarship offers.

The 6-foot-5, 225-pound New Yorker has an offer sheet that includes the likes of Alabama, Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Tennessee, Florida, Florida State, Tennessee and Georgia among several others. 

And, as of last month, Notre Dame.

Ruckert trimmed his list to 13 schools over the summer, but as more offers come his way, his list is a growing a bit again and Notre Dame is one school that will be on it. 

“Oh absolutely,” Lombardo said. “I know he was very excited once Notre Dame came into the mix without a doubt. With the academics they bring to the table along with the tradition of football, he was very excited about Notre Dame.

“I know he’s very interested in really getting to see what the school offers and what it’s like.” 

Ruckert doesn’t have any plans to get to South Bend yet, but his coach says it’ll be coming at some point.

“No doubt,” Lombardo said. “No doubt. That’s a given…Absolutely. I’m sure he’d like to get out there for a game.” 

He’s been able to hit the road a bunch over the last several months with stops at Michigan, Ohio State, Penn State, Rutgers, Georgia, Florida, Florida State and Alabama among others.

“They did a couple of tours over the summer,” Lombardo said of Ruckert and his family. “They took a week, a week and a half and went down and did a bunch of school visits. During the schoolyear, he’s gone to a couple different schools. He really wanted to get the game experience and see how it is at Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan. 

“After our game, he’ll get in the car and his parents will drive him eight hours, nine hours and that’s what he’s done a bunch of times this year.”

When Ruckert was a freshman, his coach didn’t foresee this kind of attention. 

“At that point, he was a big kid,” Lombardo said. “He was like 6-4. He was almost like a kid who hadn’t grown into his body yet. I didn’t think we’d have this. This is pretty dynamic what he’s done. I don’t think anybody could have projected this. I’d be a liar to say that.

“You couldn’t project what’s happened to the kid now. It’s amazing.” 

But it’s no fluke either.

“He’s a leader,” said Lombardo. “He’s obviously produced tremendously for us over the last three years and is having another outstanding year for us now.” 

His coach points to Ruckert’s length and athleticism.

“He has a great skillset for a big guy,” said Lombardo. “He goes up and gets the ball and I’ve never seen anything like it. He’ll go up over three, four defenders and get the ball. He’s tenacious too. He wants the ball thrown to him, which all great players do, but then he’ll go up and get it as well. He’s just tenacious.” 

Ruckert has a mentality and a work ethic that will often result in him staying to get an extra lift in after practice and after his team’s lift, according to Lombardo.

“His athletic career is paramount, his academics and athletics. Those are the things that are important to him. The proof is in the pudding with what he’s done in the offseason. His training, his regiment. Everything he does, he leads by example. Some kids lead by what they do on game day, he leads by what he does in the offseason as well.”