After four seasons in Happy Valley, Pennsylvania’s very own Nick Singleton is off to the 2026 NFL Draft. Singleton joined the program as one of its most hyped-up running back prospects of all time. There were high highs and low lows, but Singleton left his mark on a transformative era for Penn State football.

Singleton joined the program as a five-star recruit out of Governor Mifflin High School in Reading, Pennsylvania. He was tabbed as the No. 1 player in the state, No. 1 running back in the Class of 2022, and No. 31 player in the nation, per 247Sports’ Composite rankings. While it seemed like Penn State was the answer all along, he still took official visits to Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Texas A&M, and Alabama.

“Stout build with good height and overall bulk. Plus frame length with space for a bit more mass, but will leave high school with college-ready size,” 247Sports scouting analyst Gabe Brooks wrote of Singleton in September 2021. “Slasher with home run big-play athleticism. A bit upright in gait but shrinks target and enhances leverage upon contact.”

Singleton made an immediate impact on the Nittany Lions’ 2022 squad. He appeared in all 13 of Penn State’s games, breaking 1,000 yards on the ground and finding the end zone 12 times on 156 attempts. He averaged 6.8 yards per carry. Not too shabby for the freshman, which still stands as arguably his best collegiate campaign.

Singleton only eclipsed his 1,061-yard freshman year mark one other time in his Penn State career. He rushed for 1,099 yards in 2024, finding the end zone 12 times once more after a small down year in 2023.

Perhaps Singleton’s biggest down year, though, came in 2025. From week one, it never felt like Singleton produced the same spark he had in years past. He couldn’t find gaps or produce explosive runs like Penn State fans were so used to seeing, possibly due to Andy Kotelnicki’s gimmicky offense. He found more success late in the year after interim head coach Terry Smith’s takeover.

While he ended his career on his least amount of yardage by a wide margin with 549, he broke his single-season touchdown record with 13 and now holds Penn State’s all-time rushing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and all-purpose yards marks. 2025 wasn’t what anybody made it out to be, but he still inked himself as an all-time Penn State football player.

Oh, and he did all of that while splitting carries with Kaytron Allen.

That brings Singleton to the 2026 NFL Draft, where his poorly-positioned “down year” hurt his stock just a little bit in the long run. He was compared to Nick Chubb before his college career, with Brooks projecting Singleton to be a first-round pick when it was all said and done. Sure, he broke multiple records, but he was overshadowed by a stellar Allen for most of the season.

Singleton also broke his foot at Senior Bowl practice in January, which sidelined him for the NFL Combine in February. He also didn’t participate in Penn State’s Pro Day in March, but he walked without a boot.

“Well-built back with explosive speed, whose 2025 season was flat after a strong 2024. Singleton is a linear runner who plays like his brake lines have been cut, affecting his ability to gather and elude tacklers or cut on demand,” NFL analyst Lance Zierlein wrote. “He has the speed to make defenses pay, but displayed a lack of vision and instincts to put himself in position to do so, relative to his teammate Kaytron Allen. His size and speed will get attention, but his ability to return kicks and play on third downs could ultimately earn him a roster spot as an RB3.”

Zierlein set a fourth-round projection for Singleton and likened him to San Francisco 49ers running back Isaac Guerendo.

Zierlein isn’t the only draft analyst to point out Singleton’s vision as an issue for NFL teams. His speed and explosiveness were always his strengths. In 2025, that simply wasn’t present. He struggled to run loose and consistently failed to break into the second and third levels.

“Singleton is a straight-line and downhill runner who lacks the wiggle to create for himself,” Bleacher Report’s Damian Parson wrote. “He isn’t elusive to make defenders miss in a phone booth and relies on power to get through traffic.”

Where Singleton has trumped other running backs in his college career, however, he has been in the receiving game and on special teams. Singleton has no problem aligning out wide or in the slot, and his ball-tracking skills make him a safe set of hands for an offense. He totaled 978 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the Nittany Lions. His NFL career may also start off on special teams as he develops as a runner. Singleton returned kicks in his first three years at Penn State, totaling 1,138 yards.

“Singleton’s potential for stardom hinges on his ability to refine the subtleties of his game, from developing counter moves and spatial awareness to improving his stiff arm technique and consistency in reading and processing information near the line of scrimmage, NFL Mock Draft Database wrote.

“While he may lack some lateral agility and elusiveness, Singleton’s all-around skill set, vision, and physical tools position him as a lead back with the athleticism and versatility to thrive in the NFL. With the right system and opportunity, Singleton could emerge as a game-changer, showcasing his explosive playmaking ability and solidifying his place as a key contributor at the next level.”

Singleton and the rest of the eligible Nittany Lions will hope to hear their names called at the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The draft is set to run from April 23 to 25. Folks can follow along on ESPN, ABC, NFL Network, and ESPN Deportes.