Nicholas Singleton is a running back and 2026 NFL Draft prospect who spent his entire collegiate career at Penn State University. A native of Shillington, Pennsylvania, Singleton was the consensus top-rated running back in the 2022 recruiting class, a five-star prospect who chose the Nittany Lions over Alabama, Notre Dame, and Ohio State after a legendary prep career. As a true freshman in 2022, he led Penn State in rushing with 941 yards and 10 touchdowns and was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He continued producing in a shared backfield with Kaytron Allen, posting 762 yards in 2023 and 1,099 rushing yards with 17 total touchdowns in 2024, his most productive single season. In 2025 he shifted to a secondary role as Allen emerged as the lead back, finishing with 549 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns while wrapping up his career as Penn State's all-time leader in touchdowns with 55. He fractured his fifth metatarsal during Senior Bowl practices in January 2026, requiring surgery that prevented him from participating in on-field workouts at the Combine.
Measured at 6-foot and 219 pounds, Singleton is a powerful, one-cut runner with legitimate top-end speed, converting burst and acceleration into downfield production once he clears the first level. He runs with an aggressive style, falls forward through contact, and has shown solid hands out of the backfield over four seasons, running a more complete route tree than most college backs, including wheel routes and seam patterns. His special teams background includes a 100-yard kickoff return touchdown as a freshman. The foot injury heading into the draft process is the primary concern, along with some inconsistency in his vision and a 2025 season in which his production metrics declined. Still, Singleton's combination of size, speed, goal-line prowess, and passing-game versatility give him Day 2 to early Day 3 appeal as a dynamic back with immediate short-yardage and home-run value at the next level.
