Mike Washington Jr. is a running back to keep an eye on in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft after an impressive final college football season with the Arkansas Razorbacks. He also turned in a strong performance at the combine, potentially improving his draft stock even further. Respected analyst Greg Cosell recently praised him and detailed what makes him an interesting prospect.
Greg Cosell Explains Why Mike Washington Jr. Is a Top 2026 NFL Draft Prospect
Washington played in the toughest college football competition in the SEC during his final season with Arkansas. He thrived in the challenging situation, averaging 6.4 yards per carry on his way to rushing for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns.
Cosell recently labelled him as the running back that he is most interested in, with the draft now just weeks away. He described why his physical traits and impressive Combine results make him an intriguing prospect.
“The back that probably interests me the most … is Washington from Arkansas. I think, to me, he’s really intriguing. He blew people away at the Combine … His traits profile fits that of a featured back. He’s got size, he’s got speed, he’s got some natural power, he’s got a strong lower half … To me, he’s the most interesting running back prospect in the Draft … The speed at that size, you don’t see that very often,” explained Cosell.
“The back that probably interests me the MOST… is Mike Washington from Arkansas…”
“His traits profile fits that of a FEATURE back.”@GregCosell explains: pic.twitter.com/r1Hp8Ibh6U
— Ross Tucker Podcast (@RossTuckerPod) March 16, 2026
Washington finished 10th among all running backs in PFSN’s Impact Rankings for last season, demonstrating his elite contributions for the Razorbacks. This alone made him a solid draft prospect this year, but he came out of the combine even more intriguing, including for Cosell.
He has been praised for his rare combination of size and speed for the position, measuring 6-foot-2 and weighing 228 pounds, while also running the 40-yard dash in 4.33 seconds. He appears to check all of the boxes to potentially serve as a featured running back on a team in need of help at the position.
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Scouts often desire impressive measurements and proven production on the field, and Washington has both. Cosell stated that Washington is the most interesting running back entering the draft this year, and PFSN’s Big Board also shows his elite upside. He currently ranks fifth among all players in his position and is projected to be selected within the first four rounds. Depending upon which team takes him, he could be a rookie to keep an eye on during the 2026 season.
