Mike Washington Jr emerges as a versatile power back in 2026 draft coverage
mike washington jr has drawn renewed draft attention this week after a detailed scouting guide, a scheduled NFL Combine showcase and reported interest from a team looking to add a running back. The confluence of those developments matters because they highlight both his physical upside and the specific areas — pass protection and ball security — he must address before the draft.
Mike Washington Jr: measurables and traits
Listed at 6-foot-2, Washington is a big-bodied back built for early-down work. He is described as a power option in a committee but one with added traits: his straight-line explosiveness is notable, having clocked speeds above 20 mph on multiple occasions in 2025. That burst has translated into consistent speed-to-power conversion at contact and solid yards-after-contact production over the past two seasons.
At the same time, his larger frame limits some fluidity in space. He shows quick feet for short cuts and hops between the tackles in man- and gap-scheme concepts and has above-average vision for finding blocking angles and open lanes. Those qualities make him an intriguing candidate for early-down snaps, while his frame also gives him the potential to contribute in pass protection — an area where his execution has been inconsistent.
Ball security is a concrete concern: he recorded seven fumbles across 2024–2025, a detail teams will weigh alongside his athletic upside.
College production and career path
Washington's trajectory includes stops at multiple programs before he became a full-time starter in 2025. A former three-star recruit from Utica, New York, he made occasional starts earlier in his career at Buffalo and New Mexico State but did not fully assume a lead role until his time at Arkansas. In 2025 he logged 1, 070 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on 167 touches, and earned a Second-team All-SEC nod.
His cumulative line over the other four seasons is listed as 420–1, 844–18, and his high school production included a 1, 432-yard, 15-touchdown season at Cicero–North Syracuse before he committed to Buffalo. That background underscores both a late breakout as a primary option and a body of work that combines bursts of high-level production with seasons of limited usage.
Combine showcase, team interest and next steps
Washington will try to handle the NFL Combine imminently, a scheduled showcase that gives him a concrete chance to climb draft boards if he posts standout numbers or demonstrably improves areas of concern. His prior speed measurements and physical profile give him a baseline athletic case to make a day-to-day impact at testing; his ability to show reliable pass-pro technique and cleaner ball security would likely be the most influential on his draft stock.
Interest from a team seeking to upgrade its rushing attack has added to the immediate narrative: Washington was listed among that franchise’s formal meetings at the Combine, and the team publicly signaled plans to add to its backfield after finishing in the lower third of the league in rushing the prior season amid key injuries. That alignment of a positional need and a measurable prospect meeting creates a realistic pathway for Washington to land on draft boards as a mid-round option.
Key takeaways
- mike washington jr pairs size and burst, with measurable top-end speed flagged in 2025 testing.
- He produced 1, 070 rushing yards and eight TDs in 2025 but must improve pass protection and cut down fumbles.
- A Combine showing and meetings with teams that need rushing help will shape how high he climbs on draft day.
