Greg McElroy defends his ranking of Kaytron Allen on Top 10 college football running back list

The Penn State Nittany Lions have one of the most feared running back rooms in the country, highlighted by Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton. It was a good enough room that analyst Greg McElroy put both backs on his Top 10 college football running back list for the 2025 season.

Most experts would rank Singleton slightly ahead of Allen. McElroy disagrees, though, and actually had Allen third ahead of Singleton, whom he ranked fourth. It’s a ranking he defended on his show, Always College Football.

“Kaytron Allen, if I have to get one yard, that’s my guy,” McElroy said. “Like, if I have to pick one up, and I need to have it, and I’ve gotta mow through a linebacker that’s in the hole, I believe and I have great confidence that Kaytron Allen can be that guy.”

Singleton had more hype than Allen when they first got to Happy Valley. At the same time, both were highly touted recruits. While Singleton was the top-ranked running back in the Class of 2022, Allen was still the eighth-ranked back. They’ve both since lived up to those rankings.

In 2024, Allen rushed for 1,108 yards and eight touchdowns in 16 games. That was on 5.0 yards per attempt. He also caught 18 passes for 153 yards and another two touchdowns.

“The guy had a great year last year. Over 1,100 yards. He’s only 123 yards away from 3,000 career yards. This is a patient and powerful runner. Yes, he runs through tackles, and no, he is not as explosive,” McElroy said. “And I frankly don’t think that defensive coordinators are scared to death as often when Kaytron Allen has the ball as when Nick Singleton runs the ball. But I appreciate very much Kaytron Allen’s patience and his ability to improvise if the initial hole isn’t there.”

Following the 2024 season, there was some thought that Singleton, Allen, or both could be moving on to the NFL. Certainly, it appears to be something that’s coming in their future. Instead, Penn State was able to bring back both running backs for another run in 2025.

“He knows how to hesitate. He knows how to cut it back. He knows how to allow the hole to uncover before he hits it. He knows how to run through initial contact. I think Kaytron Allen is an outstanding back. I think Singleton is, too. I just think Singleton needs things to be a little more perfect for him to be at his best,” McElroy said. “Whereas Kaytron Allen can make the offensive line look good with how he runs behind his pads.”

Penn State came up just short in 2025. They’d lose the Big Ten Championship Game before going to the College Football Playoff. There, they’d win a pair of games before falling in the semifinal to Notre Dame.

“So, I think too, when you look at how he played at times throughout the postseason, I think there could be another gear in there for Kaytron Allen. He’s a punishing runner and if you look at some of the postseason performances, the game against Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game, the three Playoff games, Kaytron Allen had nearly 460 yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. He was picking up tough yardage,” McElroy said. “And we know, if you can run the ball well in the postseason, that’s pretty dang impressive. He was also slicing through defenses and I think one of his best games of the season was against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. Now, the Broncos’ defense had no answer for Kaytron Allen. He went for 134 yards and nearly eight yards per carry.”

Expectations are high in 2025 for the Penn State Nittany Lions. Much of that is going to fall on the shoulders of the running back room, regardless of which back is better.

“So, I love four and I love three,” McElroy said. “But my order is just slightly different of that from most people. I just think Kaytron Allen, the tough yardage, gives him a slight edge over the guy in Nick Singleton that has that home run hitting track, speed on every single rep that he might touch the ball throughout the game.”