Mike Washington Jr.

● Big, long frame with muscular biceps and thick torso ● Posted fastest 40-yard dash (4.33 seconds) among running backs at 2026 NFL combine ● Runs with early giddy-up, thanks to spurts of explosiveness in his initial strides ● Keeps vision and pacing in sync to locate holes and follow blocks in timely fashion ● Better-than-expected ability to gather his weight and cut against the grain ● Flashes big-play potential: No. 2 among SEC running backs in 2025 with 16 plays of 20-plus yards (13 runs, three catches) ● Physical in short yardage and a freight train at full stride in the open field (see his truck-stick touchdown run vs. Texas safety Michael Taaffe) ● Caught the ball well as a screen target in 2025 (one drop on 36 targets) ● Productive senior year — one of just four SEC players to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards during the regular season ● Quiet, reliable character with “man on a mission” mindset (NFL scout: “The staff said he put his head down and worked from the moment he arrived … had no trouble fitting in … left an imprint on the program.”)

● Strong runner but doesn’t consistently finish with violence as a ball carrier ● Exposes himself to punishment with upright run style ● Attempts to outrun linebackers to the corner don’t always work ● Runs with hints of tightness in his movements, which will be more noticeable against NFL athletes ● Raw in pass protection — late to decipher pressure packages and needs to do a better job keeping his head on a swivel

A one-year starter at Arkansas, Washington emerged as the featured back in former offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s balanced spread scheme. After stops at Buffalo and New Mexico State, he transferred to Fayetteville in 2025 with low expectations, but he played the best ball of his career on a bad team, ranking top 10 nationally with 6.4 yards per carry. Washington has an impressive-looking physique and the downhill burst that generally makes tackling him high a bad idea for defenders. Despite some stiffness in his lower half, he is quick to read, collect his feet and cut away from pursuit with speed to finish. Overall, Washington is a good-sized athlete who gets through the crease and can be a punisher behind his pads, although he will need to improve his third-down skills to increase his NFL value.