Rucker was 2nd team Big 12 as a senior, not what I would call unheralded.
I agree that Rucker was not exactly a bum atNU. The guy was basically a starter in '97 (shared time with Kelsay) and the 2nd team Big 12 as a senior. I wouldn't just call him "Wistrom's back-up".
Rucker gets added because he had to play second string for three of his four years. For as good of a player that he was in college, he is was limited, to a degree, by the depth chart. Plus, he gets recognition now as one of the great DE to come through Nebraska but gets overlooked for guys like Wistrom, Neil Smith, Tomich, Chamberlain, Alberts, and Broderick Thomas.