Penn State RB Nick Singleton drafted in 5th round by Tennessee Titans. What to know
Penn State grad Nick Singleton may not have had the senior season he hoped for — but the running back is still heading to the NFL.
Singleton, who graduated in December 2025 (with a degree in recreation, parks and tourism management), was selected Saturday afternoon in the fifth round (No. 165 overall) of the 2026 NFL Draft. He was taken by the Tennessee Titans, and he is the sixth Nittany Lion to be drafted so far.
The senior running back who played in 53 career games and left with multiple Penn State records — including career rushing touchdowns (45) and career all-purpose yards (5,586) — did not live up to expectations in his final season. He averaged a career-low 45.8 rushing yards per game and struggled with his vision in finding the hole.
Still, he leaves Penn State with a memorable career and enters the NFL with some clear strengths.
He can be a weapon in the passing game, he rarely fumbles, and multiple analysts have pointed to ideal strength in his hips and quads. He’s better on runs to the outside than inside, and he has the ability to return kicks.
Singleton told reporters last month at Penn State’s Pro Day that NFL teams have given him some of the same feedback — although he didn’t specifically mention the Titans.
“They definitely love how I run the ball, be able to catch the ball out of the backfield and just be able to go block,” he said. “So they always love them complete backs who can do anything.”
He came out of high school, at Governor Mifflin, as a one-dimensional runner so he said Penn State was invaluable in developing other parts of his game. He was the Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2022, was named third-team all-conference as a sophomore and then, as a junior, rushed for 1,099 yards while averaging 6.4 yards per carry.
Singleton could’ve opted to declare early for the NFL draft last year and was widely considered to be about a third-round talent. Instead, he decided to stay — and his stock dropped.
He averaged nearly 2 yards less per carry as a senior (4.5) than junior (6.4), and he finished with a career-low 549 rushing yards in 2025 after his running backs coach left for Notre Dame. Even his receiving yards (219) were lower than his previous two seasons.
But some teams clearly believed 2025 was an anomaly and, if they’re right, Singleton could be a high-value pick. He was even drafted before teammate and fellow RB Kaytron Allen, who boasted the better senior season.
Like most experts, The Athletic’s NFL draft analyst in Dane Brugler actually ranked Allen over Singleton, offering the latter a fifth-round grade as the draft’s No. 8 overall running back. Brugler described Singleton as “frustrating to watch” because his inconsistent vision and discipline brush up against his “big-play potential” while he also boasts “an exceptional blend of size and speed.”
Singleton was the seventh overall running back off the board. He did not take part in drills at the NFL Combine due to a foot injury suffered during practices at the Senior Bowl.
Was 2025 a harbinger or an exception? The Titans are banking on the latter, and rookie OTAs start in just a few weeks.
