Nick Singleton had weighed his decision for months. During the College Football Playoff, James Franklin held almost weekly check-ins with Singleton, his family and agents. The meetings surrounded Singleton’s future, and whether he’d return to Penn State for his senior year or enter the NFL Draft. And on Monday, Singleton finally made his decision.
Singleton, one of the Nittany Lions’ two starting running backs over each of the past three seasons, will forgo the draft and return for his senior year of college. He announced the news on social media.
“We have accomplished a lot here, and we took another big step forward this season. But we know we are capable of being even better,” Singleton wrote. “After discussing my football future with my family, I have decided to return to Penn State for the 2025 season. We still have goals we want to reach as a team, and I want to be alongside my teammates as we reach those goals.”
Over the course of a year that featured lingering injuries, it appeared possible, or even likely, that Singleton would return to college. But a dominant four-game postseason stretch had Singleton looking the part of a player ready for the NFL. He finished the year with a career-high 1,099 rushing yards, 366 of which came after the regular season.
Singleton also flashed his potential as a multi-faceted offensive weapon, catching a career-best 41 receptions for 375 receiving yards. He ultimately led Penn State with 1,474 scrimmage yards and 17 total touchdowns.
Singleton has the potential to break some school records over his final year of eligibility. He is 1,021 rushing yards shy of Evan Royster’s all-time rushing record and 12 rushing touchdowns shy of Saquon Barkley’s record for scores on the ground. Singleton also needs just 12 touchdowns from scrimmage to break Saquon Barkley’s program record for total scores.
“He’s a Penn State guy in terms of just substance, right? And has maximized his career,” Franklin said prior to the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame. “… Big fan of Nick and his mom and dad and Governor Mifflin High School, and how he’s kind of handled his whole Penn State career.”
Singleton has split starting snaps with Kaytron Allen since the pair joined the Nittany Lions in the 2022 season. Moments after Singleton’s announcement, Allen also posted his decision to return his senior year.
Singleton and Allen join quarterback Drew Allar as the second and third notable starters with eligibility remaining to forgo the draft and return for another year of college. Penn State is set to return offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki, most of its offensive line and has added two wide receivers — Kyron Hydson, formerly of USC, and ex-Troy Trojan Devonte Ross — via the transfer portal.
