Aircraft type appropriately, I like the check during a walk around that the rudder seems to be connected, and is not obstructed locally from free motion. It's also nice to assess if possible that if it reaches full motion, it will not hang up there, but this assessment is not always possible. This was a concern in a silly AD against C 150's. Certainly on some type you can damage the rudder trying to move it full travel whie parked.
Once that's established, I like to assure full rudder travel at the pedals during taxi, and if I can see the rudder moving as it should bonus.
I have had five maintenance failings of rudders/steering, all of which were flyable, but were none the less wrong, and noticeably so. None were detectable at the walk around level of inspection. Were any have been on a twin, and I'd lost an engine, it could have been a real problem!