Dec 30, 2023; Atlanta, GA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions running back Nicholas Singleton (10) runs the ball against the Mississippi Rebels in the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Nicholas Singleton RB Penn State |
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Jersey: #10 ROLE: DUAL-ROLE Back | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Last Updated: 03/06/2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2026 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FORTY time: 4.39 seconds (93%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Age: 22.7 DOB: 01/06/2004 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Jersey: #10 | |
| ROLE: DUAL-ROLE Back | |
| Last Updated: 03/06/2026 | |
| Draft Year: 2026 | |
| Forty time: 4.39 seconds (93%*) | |
| Age: 22.7 DOB: 01/06/2004 | |
| Bowl Invite: Senior Bowl | |
| Overall Rating: | 84.6 / 100 | |
|---|---|---|
| Average rating of opposition Defense player has faced | ||
| Defense Rating: |
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78% |
| Click the links below to view how player ranks vs other prospects. | ||
| Rushing: |
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79% |
| Break Tackles: |
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64% |
| Receiving/Hands: |
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72% |
| Pass Blocking: |
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47% |
| Run Blocking: |
|
59% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
4th
Overall Rank:
#101
Position rank:
#6 (RB)
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| College Games: 52 College Snaps: 1738 | ||
ESPN RATING: 86/100
College Combine Results
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247 RATING: 98/100
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RIVALS RATING: 6.0 (98%)
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| Player Comparison* (Similarity level) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jaydon Blue - Texas |
|
80% |
| Rachaad White - Arizona State |
|
75% |
| Quinshon Judkins - Ohio State |
|
73% |
Drafted: ROUND: 5 - Pick Number: 165 (TEN)
Draft Profile: Bio
Nicholas Singleton arrived at Penn State as the consensus No. 1 running back in the 2022 recruiting class, a five-star product of Governor Mifflin High School in Reading, Pennsylvania. He earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors after rushing for 2,043 yards and 41 touchdowns as a high school senior, and every major program wanted him. He chose the Nittany Lions and shared the backfield with fellow freshman Kaytron Allen from day one.Singleton rushed for 1,057 yards and 12 touchdowns as a true freshman to earn Big Ten Freshman of the Year. A banged-up sophomore season saw his efficiency dip (753 yards, 4.4 YPA), but he expanded his receiving role with 26 catches. His junior year was his best: 1,106 rushing yards at 6.4 per carry, 41 receptions for 375 yards, and 17 total touchdowns.
He returned for 2025 rather than entering the Draft, but Allen seized the lead role and Singleton's production fell to 547 yards on 124 carries. He still scored 13 times and finished as Penn State's all-time leader in touchdowns (55) and all-purpose yards (5,586). A fifth metatarsal fracture at the Senior Bowl required surgery and kept him from testing at the Combine.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Gets to top speed in a hurry and erases pursuit angles once he hits the second level.
- Runs angry through contact, falls forward, and is a load to bring down near the goal line.
- Took care of the football better each year, going from three fumbles as a freshman to zero as a senior.
- Soft hands out of the backfield and his drop rate improved noticeably over four seasons.
- Squares up blitzers with real intent in pass protection, no hesitation picking up the free runner.
- Press the hole, one cut, go. His decisiveness in zone concepts is the best thing on his tape.
- Verified squat north of 650 pounds, a Penn State program record. The strength shows up on contact.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Does not make people miss. His elusiveness fell off a cliff from freshman year to senior year on tape.
- Straight-line athlete who gets stiff when asked to redirect or chain cuts together in traffic.
- Misses cutback lanes on gap runs more than you would like, leaving yards on the table.
- Yards after contact nearly halved from freshman to senior season, a troubling downward trend.
- Longest run as a senior was 59 yards, down from 87 as a freshman. The home run threat has faded.
- Broken fifth metatarsal at the Senior Bowl adds to a pattern of nagging injuries dulling his burst.
Scouting Report: Summary
Singleton's film tells two different stories depending on which season you watch. The 2024 tape shows a back with genuine three-down ability, running with patience and decisiveness while contributing as a receiver out of the backfield. The 2025 tape raises questions. His after-contact production fell off, his breakaway numbers cratered, and Allen clearly overtook him. Some of that can be attributed to a coaching staff in transition and a team that went 3-6 in Big Ten play. But it is fair to ask whether four years of college football, along with a series of nagging injuries, have started to chip away at his best trait: explosive speed.The toolkit still has appeal. His one-cut style in outside zone concepts translates directly, and his willingness in pass protection gives him an immediate role on third downs. He catches the ball naturally and ran a fuller route tree than most college backs, including wheel routes and seams that create mismatches against linebackers. Those skills give him a floor as a committee contributor from the jump, even if the ceiling depends on whether the burst comes back after the foot heals.
That broken foot is the variable that hangs over everything. A fifth metatarsal fracture for a back whose value is tied to acceleration needs to be fully resolved before any team invests real draft capital. His inability to test at the Combine puts more pressure on the medical checks and a private workout closer to draft day. If the foot checks out and Singleton looks like the 2024 version of himself, he has the talent to handle a significant workload. If it does not, the risk is real.
Written By:
K.C. Martinez (Big Ten)
Nicholas Singleton percentiles vs other Running Backs (NFL Combine historically - higher value represents better perfomance)
How other scouting services rate Nicholas Singleton (Overall Rank)
All Scouts AverageOverall Rank
113.8
All Scouts AveragePosition Rank
8.0
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.