This Penn State Nittany Lions star has received a rather brutal NFL Draft prediction.
The Penn State Nittany Lions were viewed as national championship contenders heading into the 2025 college football season, but clearly, that did not come to fruition.
Penn State went just 6-6 this year, saw quarterback Drew Allar get knocked out with an ankle injury and watched as James Franklin was fired.
It was a disastrous campaign for the Nittany Lions full of letdowns up and down the roster, and perhaps one of the most glaring disappointments was running back Nicholas Singleton.
Singleton opted to return to Happy Valley for one more season after a terrific 2024 campaign in which he racked up 1,099 yards and 12 touchdowns while averaging 6.4 yards per carry. At the very least, Singleton would have been a Day 3 pick last April and could have stuck on an NFL roster.
But this year, the 21-year-old finished with just 549 rushing yards on 4.5 yards per attempt. Yes, he punched in 13 scores on the ground, but his massive dip in overall production has unquestionably harmed his NFL Draft status.
In fact, Trevor Sikkema of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top 315 prospects in the country going into the 2026 NFL Draft, and he had Singleton ranked 168th.
Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images."Singleton is a gifted athlete who converts top-tier speed and acceleration into power. He is also used a good amount as a receiver out of the backfield," Sikkema wrote. "While he has all the tools you want from a running back, his style is very straightforward if it's blocked up well, he gets the yards; if not, he'll sometimes leave you wanting more."
While Sikkema was somewhat complimentary of Singleton, it's also clear to see that the PFF analyst has been left a bit underwhelmed by the senior halfback.
"This can lead to a lack of creativity in his vision and in forcing missed tackles in space," Sikkema added. "More of a playmaker mentality could make Singleton a highly coveted back."
Singleton has certainly flashed considerable talent throughout his career at Penn State, owning a lifetime average of 5.6 yards per tote. He has also hauled in 102 receptions for 987 yards across four seasons with the Nittany Lions.
But his inconsistency is certainly an issue, and it's something that NFL teams will definitely take into account come draft time.
Singleton still has a chance to move up draft boards between now and April, and it's worth noting that there are some who feel he remains a top-five talent at the position.
However, there is no doubting the fact that Singleton's rough 2025 showing has hindered his stock.