Penn State RB Nick Singleton to Make NFL Draft Decision Postseason. James Franklin: ‘We’d Love Him Back’

Penn State running back Nick Singleton has a looming decision that could significantly impact the future of the Nittany Lions. It’s a matter of whether Singleton will declare for the NFL Draft or return for his senior season in 2025. And the conversations about his future have coincided with a bid for the national title, as Penn State gets ready for a semifinal matchup with Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

“I haven’t made a decision yet,” Singleton said on Saturday. “I’m still worried about finishing the season off the right way. We got a chance to do something that we haven’t done in a while, to compete for a national championship. So, right now, I’m just focused on that, and at the end of season, I’ll make a decision.”

The traditional hard deadline to declare for the draft is Jan. 15, but if the Nittany Lions are to beat the Fighting Irish and play in the national championship, Singleton will have until Jan. 24 to make his decision.

Singleton currently leads Penn State with 1,357 scrimmage yards and 14 total touchdowns. His stats are even more impressive when considering he’s split snaps with fellow running back Kaytron Allen, who leads the Nittany Lions 1,026 rushing yards. James Franklin has seen both backs produce at a tremendous rate throughout this season.

“He’s trying to decide what he’s going to do, him and his family. Been a ton of conversations there,” Franklin said. “… Obviously, we’d love him back, but if he decides to come out, we’ll fight like heck to get him drafted as high as possible.”

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has already announced his plan to return for the 2025 season. So, if Singleton were to play another year with the Nittany Lions, that would greatly benefit a program that is already shaping up to produce another team built for a national title run.

Franklin said the discussions with Singleton, as well as other players weighing their plans for the future, are ongoing. The challenge this week has presented is a six-day practice schedule compared to the nine days of preparation Penn State had between its first-round playoff win over SMU and its quarterfinal victory over Boise State.

“What we’ve been trying to do this week, which was harder because we had less days, but the days before we get into the game week, we’re trying to sit down and meet with as many guys as we possibly can — about their futures, about NFL decisions, about their futures at Penn State, about NIL, about all these different things,” Franklin said. “Because the most important thing that we can do is retain our current roster for the future.”