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When will star Penn State running back Nick Singleton make his stay or go decision?

Greg Pickelby:Greg Pickel•01/04/25•

GregPickel

PSU v Boise State at Fiesta Bowl (Photo by Steve Manuel)
Running back Nick Singleton. (Credit: Steve Manuel | Blue White Illustrated)

STATE COLLEGE — Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton will eventually have to decide whether or not he is going to return to the Nittany Lions for the 2025 college football season or leave and enter the NFL Draft. The junior from Reading is not ready to do so yet, however. Unsurprisingly, next Thursday’s Orange Bowl matchup with Notre Dame is first and foremost on the ball carrier’s mind. That’s true even with the draft declaration deadline looming on Jan. 15.

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

Singleton is the No. 9 running back on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s positional rankings board. Entering the semifinal, he has rushed for 1,015 yards and nine touchdowns in addition to five receiving touchdowns. For his career, he has 2,828 yards and 29 rushing touchdowns plus eight receiving scores. Whatever he decides, Penn State coach James Franklin said he’ll support the choice.

“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,” Franklin said. “I know it’s really important for him to go play well in this game this week, to keep this season going, and to keep this team together. We got 65 plays left on offense [and] defense, 24 plays on special teams. That’s how we’re approaching it, and Nick’s been a leader like that.”

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Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, who has already said he will return in 2025, offered insight into the process of making the decision in consultation with the Nittany Lions staff.

At the end of the day, I think the feedback that we get is never going to be skewed one way or the other based on what Penn State wants you to do,” Allar said. “Coach Franklin does a great job of giving as much information as possible to guys that have those decisions to make. I think he does a great job with just like not recruiting you, I guess. He’s giving you all the information out there that there is, the good and the bad, and what other people are saying, and his personal opinion, obviously. But he always tells you, ‘Don’t let what I say affect that or anything like that.’

“But I think for Nick, it’s a good thing to have, obviously. It’s always good to have those decisions. It just means he’s played well his first three years here. But I know him and me are wired the same ways in terms of [him being] completely focused on Notre Dame and the tasks that we have at hand right now.”

The No. 6 Nittany Lions and No. 7 Fighting Irish meet on Jan. 9. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET. ESPN will televise the game.

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