Nicholas Singleton gives the Titans an explosive, pass-catching running back with immediate rotational value and a clear path to a larger role as the backfield evolves beyond 2026.
Tennessee Titans fans spent months thinking about the idea of Jeremiyah Love joining this team.
Despite traditional thinking suggesting it’s poor process to draft a running back as early as fourth overall, the idea of adding an explosive weapon in the backfield to take pressure off quarterback Cam Ward was an attractive one.
Love ultimately came off the board one pick before the Titans, landing with the Arizona Cardinals. But now, all the way in the fifth round with the 165th overall pick, the Titans may have found a running back who can still get the fanbase excited.
Nicholas Singleton has made a name for himself at Penn State over the last four seasons.
As a freshman in 2022, he ran for 1,061 yards and 12 touchdowns. He posted two separate 1,000-yard seasons during his college career and finished with 45 rushing touchdowns for the Nittany Lions. He also added 102 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns as a pass catcher.
I’ll go ahead and plant my flag here. I really like this pick for the Titans. This is one that has the potential to be a lot of fun.
Singleton brings explosive speed and can run away from just about any defender, even if elusiveness isn’t necessarily his calling card. He has a tendency to win on the perimeter and is a more physical runner than you might expect, blending size and speed in a way that makes him dangerous when he has space to operate.
He’s also one of the better pass-catching running backs in this entire draft class. Singleton averaged 9.7 yards per reception over four years and is reliable enough in pass protection to project as a viable option on passing downs. Getting that skill set in a 220-pound frame with home-run speed is a pretty rare combination.
The biggest weakness here is Singleton's vision. Despite the speed, he didn’t generate enough explosive runs in 2025, largely because he struggled to consistently identify developing lanes. At times, he runs with a bit of tunnel vision, which limits his ability to make defenders miss in tight spaces.
That said, if he’s deployed properly, Singleton shouldn’t be overly reliant on creating for himself. A well-designed run scheme and a creative screen game should give him opportunities to let his physical tools take over.
Singleton is just the seventh running back off the board in this year’s draft, but this feels like tremendous value for the Titans in the fifth round. It’s also worth noting that both Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears are set to hit free agency after the 2026 season.
That creates a clear window for Singleton to contribute right away in 2026—both on offense and potentially on special teams as a kick returner—while also positioning himself as a key part of the team’s long-term plans as they sort out the backfield heading into 2027 and beyond.