Another Nebraska football defensive standout has accepted an invite to the 100th East-West Shrine Bowl.
Senior defensive back DeShon Singleton announced on social media Thursday his acceptance for the Jan. 30 postseason showcase. The contest will be played at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, with television coverage provided by the NFL Network.
Singleton joins defensive tackle Nash Hutmacher as a fellow Nebraska defender to participate in the contest. Hutmacher accepted his invite on Dec. 10 following his 24 tackle, four tackle for loss, and two sack season. Ty Robinson also joined an NFL Draft showcase event, accepting an invite to the Reese's Senior Bowl on Feb. 1 in Mobile, Ala.
Grind don’t stop
— East-West Shrine Bowl (@ShrineBowl) December 19, 2024
DB DeShon Singleton (@DeshonSingleton) from @HuskerFootball has officially accepted his invite to the 100th East-West #ShrineBowl!#GBR | #ShrineBowlWHOSNEXT pic.twitter.com/w0ETKG9N7M
Singleton started every game this season for Nebraska, recording a career-high 67 tackles finishing second on the team. The safety also added a tackle for loss, two passs breakups, an interceptions, and one fumble recovery. Singleton rebounded from a season-ending injury against Michigan in 2023 after starting in his first five games. The Blackshirt has been a two-time single-digit number honoree during Matt Rhule's first two seasons in Lincoln.
During his senior season, Singleton was a major contributor in each of Nebraska's contests defensively. The defensive back had six or more tackles in six games, including a career-high 10 stops at Ohio State. Singleton also had standout days against Colorado and UCLA, recording five and eight solo tackles respectively. Against Illinois, his fumble recovery set up a Husker touchdown.
The 6-3, 210 pound senior from Louisiana joined Nebraska in 2022 after a standout season in junior college at Hutchinson, Kans. Community College. During his lone season in JUCO, Singleton corralled 21 tackles with two and-a-half tackles for loss adding in a pair of interceptions and two pass breakups. He exited junior college as the No. 4 JUCO safety and a top 20 prospect rating by 247Sports.
Singleton was named an honorable mention All-Big Ten honoree earlier this month. It was his first honor from the conference in his career.
Coach Matt Rhule has stood up for Singleton's remaining eligibility recently in the media, speaking back in late November about the safety's first snap against the Wolverines in 2023 ending his season and removing a chance for a redshirt season last year.
"What happened with DeShon is obviously he went to junior college and then came here and played four games, and then one play against Michigan," Rhule said earlier this season. "I petitioned to the NCAA because obviously, everything that happened against Michigan last year seems like there is some cloak of whatever. He got cracked on a run play. Did they know it was a run play? Or is that game going to count in a couple of years? So I thought he shouldn’t have gotten penalized for one play in a game that, in my mind, that’s not even a real game. The NCAA disagreed, so he did not get that year back."
Even though his appeal was unsuccessful, Rhule thinks Singleton would have likely gone to the NFL even if he had been able to return to Nebraska for another season.
"I think DeShon would probably have that year and say, ‘Coach, thanks a lot, I’m going to take my talents to the next level’ because I think he’s doing a really good job," Rhule said." But I wanted him to do that. Academically he could use that year to finish his degree so I thought he deserved that, but the NCAA disagreed.”
Singleton's National Football League future projects as a potential late-round pick, joining a similar pre-draft process grading with fellow defensive back Tommi Hill. Hill was previously rated as potential first-round pick prior to the start of the season.
Singleton and Nebraska continue to prepare for the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 28 in New York City's Yankee Stadium.
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