The 2026 Panini Senior Bowl will provide an opportunity for NFL draft prospects to showcase themselves on the largest pre-draft stage. Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton plans on taking full advantage. Singleton recently spoke exclusively with the Senior Bowl and Draft Network to discuss his motivation for accepting his invitation to compete in Mobile, Alabama.
Singleton also discussed what he's striving to prove to NFL general managers and scouts in attendance at the Senior Bowl, his approach at running back, how he’d write his own scouting report, and more. Let's get to know Singleton better ahead of his journey to the Panini Senior Bowl.
JM: Where were you when you found out about your Senior Bowl invite, and what was your initial reaction?
Nicholas Singleton: I believe I was chilling at the house when I found out I was invited to the Senior Bowl. It was a blessing. I’ve watched players in the Senior Bowl every year. I know it’s going to be a great experience. I feel blessed.
JM: It doesn’t sound like you needed much convincing, but what motivated you to accept the Senior Bowl’s offer?
Nicholas Singleton: I’m always motivated to go out there and compete, especially at the Senior Bowl. I know some of the best prospects in the nation are going to be in Mobile. I’m excited for the opportunity to showcase myself.
JM: What are you hoping to prove to NFL general managers, coaching staffs, and scouts in attendance in Mobile?
Nicholas Singleton: I want to show everybody that I’m a complete running back. I can run, block, and catch the ball coming out of the backfield. I want to highlight my versatility and everything that comes with it.
JM: How would you write your own scouting report? Self-scout yourself for us.
Nicholas Singleton: I try to play the game like Christian McCaffrey or Jahmyr Gibbs. They run, block, and catch the ball, everything I just talked about. It’s all about being a complete running back.
JM: Expanding on that, if you had to compare yourself to a current NFL running back, who would you choose and why? Anyone in particular you try to study and learn from?
Nicholas Singleton: I love watching a lot of running backs on tape. Saquon Barkley, of course. Jahmyr Gibbs and Christian McCaffey, they can do it all, run and catch the ball. I like Derrick Henry a lot, too. I want to be a complete back.
JM: We’ve seen similar qualities on tape. You scored 54 touchdowns in four seasons at Penn State. That’s incredible. What is it about your game that consistently finds the end zone?
Nicholas Singleton: It goes back to being a complete back. I obviously had a lot of great players and coaches around me as well. They put me in great positions to make plays. They had my back every step of the way.
JM: How would you describe your running style?
Nicholas Singleton: I’m a downhill runner. I have a little shiftiness to my game as well, but I’m a physical back first and foremost. I want to get North-South as a runner.
JM: You’re a lot of fun to watch on tape. What’s on Nicholas Singleton’s pre-game playlist?
Nicholas Singleton: I listen to a lot of NBA Youngboy. Lil’ Baby as well. Those are my two go-tos for the pre-game playlist.
JM: Are there any NFL players you’re looking forward to swapping jerseys with at the next level?
Nicholas Singleton: Definitely the running backs, players like Saquon Barkley. I think about a lot of players who went to Penn State with me, guys like Abdul Carter, all of the teammates I was around these past few years.
JM: This past season didn’t go according to plan, for you and the entire program, really. NFL teams will ask about that adversity. How do you plan on responding?
Nicholas Singleton: I’m going to give them an honest answer. Obviously, the season definitely didn’t go the way we wanted it to. Stuff happens. We went through a lot of adversity. It made me stronger. Life goes that way sometimes. The ball doesn’t always bounce your way. I just have to keep working and getting better.
JM: We’ve appreciated your time today. At the end of the week, what does a successful Senior Bowl look like for Nicholas Singleton?
Nicholas Singleton: I’m looking forward to competing every single day at the Senior Bowl. I want to get better at every practice, every rep. I want to prove I’m one of the best.