THE SINGLETARY FILE
Team: Houston Texans
Position: Running back
Height: 5-7
Weight: 203
40 time: 4.66
College: Florida Atlantic
Draft: Third round, 74st pick, 2019
Contract: Signed a one-year, $2,75 million deal, 2023
WAG: Toyonnie Smith, girlfriend
Children: Myles Singletary, son
Record/Accomplishments:
C-USA, MVP, 2017
Boca Raton Bowl MVP, 2017
First-team All-Conference USA, 2017, 2018
Did you know the Buffalo Bills were eighth in the nation in rushing last season? Yep, the Bills ran the ball quite effectively. Yet they opted not to retain their lead back, Devin Singletary, a seemingly value pick in 2019 when he was taken in the third round with the 74st pick.
It explains why Singletary chose to bet on himself, signing a one-year, $2.75 million deal with most of it guaranteed with the Houston Texans. If the Bills didn’t think he was good enough for them then Singletary will prove again in Houston and maybe the rest of the league will take notice.
There are a lot of things to like about Singletary’s game. He’s a determined and at times punishing style that has allowed to rush for a career average 4.7 yards per carry. But he’s never matched the 5.1 yards per carry he averaged in his rookie season of 5.1 yards. And he’s fumbled 13 times in his first four seasons.
But Singletary is accustomed to having to take the hard road. He committed to Illinois but a coaching change there had him reconsider. He had offers from Miami and Florida State but thought he’d get lost in the crowd of backs both schools recruit. He chose Florida Atlantic where he averaged six yards per carry and scored 66 touchdowns in three seasons.
That was the second time Singletary bet on himself by electing to go pro after his junior season. It paid off when the Bills took him in the third round. Now Singletary is betting on himself again. He’ll have to battle former Florida running back Dameon Pierce for carries but Singletary, nicknamed “Motor” because he’s always going, is up for the challenge.
If the Bills slip from their position as a Top 10 rushing team, deciding not to retain Singletary could turn out to be a costly proposition. For Singletary, he hopes it will be a profitable one.