Prediction Lands Commanders ‘Thunderous’ RB Compared to $41 Million NFL All-Pro

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Penn State running back Nick Singleton

The Washington Commanders have tried to be intentional about adding players who will bring them one step closer to playing in the Super Bowl.

For a team that was just one win away from making it last season, you might think that would just be working around the margins, with only a few improvements here or there. That’s not been the case at all.

The Commanders made it to the NFC Championship Game with a roster that was mostly patchwork in 2024. That meant lots of aging veterans on 1-year contracts and no bona fide superstars outside of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and NFL All-Pro wide receiver Terry McLaurin.

That has necessitated an almost complete overhaul to every position group via the draft, free agency, trades or more 1-year deals for players like All-Pro linebacker Bobby Wagner and Lazarus-like tight end Zach Ertz.

One of the few spots they didn’t seem to find a solution at was running back. The NFL Mock Draft Database predicts the Commanders will get a major upgrade at that spot in the 2026 NFL draft. That’s where they’re predicted to take Penn State running back Nick Singleton with the No. 27 overall pick in the first round.

Singleton, a 2-time All-Big Ten pick, has drawn comparisons to another Penn State product in reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year and Super Bowl champion Saquon Barkley.

From NFL Draft Buzz: “From the moment he arrived in Happy Valley, Nicholas Singleton has been running angry. The thunderous back brought a rare blend of track speed and power-lifting strength that has defensive coordinators losing sleep. The 6’0″, 227-pound wrecking ball comes equipped with legitimate 4.39 speed and the raw power to squat 655 pounds — breaking Saquon Barkley’s program record.”

Tagged as Future NFL RB Since High School Days

Singleton was the No. 1 high school running back in the country and a 5-star recruit out of Governor Mifflin (Pa.) High School in the Class of 2022. He earned Gatorade National Player of the Year honors as a senior after he rushed for 2,043 yards and 41 touchdowns.

Singleton rushed for 1,o61 yards and scored 14 total touchdowns, including a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown against Rutgers and was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year in 2022. The 2-time All-Big Ten pick put up over 1,000 yards of total offense again in 2023, then had his most complete season in 2024 with 1,805 all purpose yards and 17 total touchdowns, including 1,099 rushing yards and 375 receiving yards.

Barkley’s Big Year Reset Market for Running Backs

Barkley was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft by the New York Giants and almost single-handedly reset the market for NFL running backs in 2024 after he became just the ninth player in NFL history to rush for over 2,000 yards in a single season.

The Eagles paid up in the offseason, making him the first running back in NFL history to make over $20 million per season with an unprecedented 2-year, $41.2 million contract extension just one year after Barkley signed a 3-year, $37.75 million free agent contract.