The Penn State Nittany Lions may be going through a rough stint during the 2025 college football season, but there has been one positive on the offensive side of the ball this year.

With quarterback Drew Allar suffering a season-ending injury against the Northwestern Wildcats, it’s clear that the offense lacks consistency without the veteran under center. Luckily, the program’s dynamic one-two punch in the run game is the perfect support for the Nittany Lions’ new starting quarterback, Ethan Grunkemeyer.

Over the past three seasons, Penn State’s rushing attack has been led by senior Nicholas Singleton, as he’s tallied nearly 3,200 rushing yards and 38 touchdowns throughout his time at the college level. However, the tides are beginning to shift this season for the Nittany Lions’ run game, with fellow senior running back Kaytron Allen emerging as the team’s lead back in 2025.

Why Allen Is Gaining Hype

The former four-star prospect in the 2022 recruiting class was overshadowed by Singleton for his first two seasons at State College. And while many expected both running backs to have another explosive season in 2025 after the duo combined for over 2,000 rushing yards last season, Allen has begun to separate himself from his counterpart.

Through the Nittany Lions’ first seven games of the season, Allen has tallied 612 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. This is a dramatic difference from Singleton’s season, as he’s managed to rush for just 274 yards on 76 carries.

Now that Allen is beginning to receive the bulk of the workload on the ground, his impressive play has caught the attention of the NFL Draft community, with him slowly becoming a name to watch for in the 2026 NFL Draft.

One of the key reasons for this sudden rise in draft stock, outside of the increased workload, is his ability to rip off big plays with the ball in his hands. Despite being 5-foot-11 and weighing 217 lbs., Allen’s skill set includes elite speed and solid contact balance, making him a true threat on offense.

For a majority of his career at Penn State, Allen was featured as a third-down back due to his combination of speed and receiving ability. This has quickly changed in 2025, with the senior rusher proving to be a threat on all three downs.

With most of the top running backs in the NFL having the capability of playing on all three downs, Allen fits this model, making him an underrated prospect in the upcoming draft. Allen's strong performance over the past two seasons has put his name in day two conversation, with multiple NFL organizations being a terrific fit for the rising star.