As a team, the Florida State Seminoles did not look as good as expected when they beat the New Mexico State Aggies in Week 0 to start the 2026 season. That was not true of the running backs, who powered the offense to a 34-17 victory with Ousmane Kromah and Samuel Singleton Jr. both having career days.
While Kromah led the team with 115 yards rushing, Singleton finished as the team's top receiver after catching four passes for 54 yards and a touchdown, to go along with 42 rushing yards and another touchdown. His performance was good enough for him to be named the ACC Receiver of the Week, which can be awarded to any player who catches a pass.
Running backs coach Kam Martin was asked about Singleton's versatility on Wednesday, and he did not hold
back, comparing him to Denver Broncos running back RJ Harvey, who Martin coached while with the UCF Bulls. He also admitted that he thought Singleton was in for a big night due to the work he has put in this offseason.
"He's fun to coach," he said. "Sam's a guy that's in the building all the time. Yesterday, it was a off day, he came up, 'Coach, how can I get better? What's some things I can work on?' You just knew going into that game that Sam was going to have the performance that he was going to have.
"When I saw him catch that 53-yard catch on the screen, I kinda knew he was going to do that cause he played it through practice, and he worked so hard for all these moments. Sam's time is here, Sam's time is here. He put in the work and he's going to continue to make plays."
Singleton is also a dangerous weapon in the return game, with him serving as FSU's primary kick returner. He made his presence felt against the Aggies, returning one kickoff 46 yards to give the Seminoles great field position on a key drive, which he ended with his rushing touchdown.
Harvey had a phenomenal two seasons under Martin at UCF, rushing for 2,993 yards and 38 touchdowns in 25 games, being named a Third Team All-American in 2024. The Denver Broncos drafted him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, with him playing in 17 games as a rookie last year with seven starts.
While Singleton has a long way to go, his senior season has gotten off to a fantastic start, and he looks like someone the Seminoles will be able to lean on in 2026, especially with his ability to impact the game in all multiple phases.
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This article originally appeared on FSU Wire: Kam Martin compares FSU's Samuel Singleton Jr. to NFL running back
