A well-traveled, explosive running back who broke out at Arkansas in 2025 and ran a 4.33-second 40 at the combine before Las Vegas drafted him in the fourth round.
Mike Washington Jr. took a long road to the NFL, playing at Buffalo, New Mexico State, and finally Arkansas before the Raiders drafted him in the fourth round of the 2026 NFL Draft. The 6-foot-1, 223-pound back turned heads with elite combine speed and a breakout final college season in the SEC.
Path to the league
A standout at Cicero-North Syracuse High School in New York, Washington began his college career at Buffalo in 2021 before transferring to New Mexico State for 2024 and then Arkansas for his final season in 2025. The Raiders traded up to select him in the fourth round, No. 122 overall, of the 2026 NFL Draft and signed him to a four-year contract.
Career highlights
Washington produced steadily at every stop, topping 700 rushing yards in both his final Buffalo season and his lone year at New Mexico State before his breakout 2025 campaign at Arkansas. At the NFL Combine, he measured 6-foot-1, 223 pounds and ran a blazing 4.33-second 40-yard dash with a 39-inch vertical jump, numbers that boosted his draft stock.
2025 season recap
In his only season at Arkansas, Washington started all 12 games and rushed 167 times for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns, adding 28 catches for 226 yards and a receiving score. His 6.4 yards-per-carry average ranked second in the SEC and ninth nationally, earning him Second Team All-SEC honors.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Mike Washington Jr.
- Raiders.com: Mike Washington Jr.
Player Profile
Background
- Position
- Running Back
- Group
- offense
- College
- Arkansas
- Hometown
- Utica, NY, USA
- Age
- 23
- Status
- active
