This Penn State Nittany Lions star's NFL Draft stock is dropping more and more.
Last year, Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton decided to return to Happy Valley for his senior campaign, electing to forego the NFL Draft.
Singleton definitely would have been selected in last year's draft in spite of it being heavy on running backs, so there was some deliberation as to whether or not he was making a mistake.
At the time, Penn State was returning what appeared to be a loaded roster for a national championship run, and Singleton wanted to be a part of it.
The problem? Singleton's senior season has been nothing short of a disaster.
After a terrific junior year, Singleton has rushed for just 419 yards and nine touchdowns while averaging a meager 3.9 yards per carry in 2025.
As a result, Singleton's NFL Draft stock has plummeted, especially considering that Kaytron Allen has clearly been the best halfback on Penn State's roster this season.
This is definitely Singleton's worst campaign as a Nittany Lion to date.
Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton. Credit: Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images.He enjoyed a tremendous freshman campaign, racking up 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns on 6.8 yards per attempt. Yes, he took a step back during his sophomore year, but last season, he rattled off 1,099 yards and 12 scores while posting 6.4 yards per tote. He also caught 41 passes for 375 yards while reaching the end zone five times as a receiver.
So, yeah: looking back, Singleton probably should have capitalized on his strong 2024 showing, but you can understand why he returned. Not only did he want to make a national title push, but he also was aiming to boost his draft status.
Singleton couldn't have expected Penn State to absolute fall apart this season. He didn't know Drew Allar would suffer a season-ending ankle injury, and he also surely did not anticipate that James Franklin would be fired in the middle of the year.
But the 21-year-old almost surely has some regret right now.
Singleton will still get drafted next April because of what he had shown in his first three collegiate campaigns. But instead of being a Day 2 pick, he might fall all the way to the middle of Day 3 in the fifth or sixth round, especially considering how much running backs have been marginalized in today's NFL.