Mike Washington Jr.'s full combine results feel tailor made for the Raiders

The Las Vegas Raiders have changed their worldview this offseason with the hiring of Klint Kubiak. He and John Spytek are focused on building this team the right way, and that involves adding a ton of young talent for the future and implementing a shared vision.

Part of that vision? Somewhat of a running back by committee approach. This doesn't mean Ashton Jeanty is obsolete or that Las Vegas wasted the No. 6 pick on him. In fact, quite the opposite. The Raiders need to find a way to relieve and complement Jeanty so as to fully maximize his abilities.

No shortage of solid options exist on that front in free agency, but if the Silver and Black want to go the young and cheap route, Arkansas's Mike Washington Jr. is an elite such option in the 2026 NFL Draft. His NFL combine performance should have just checked all the boxes for Spytek and Co.

Raiders must find a way to draft Mike Washington Jr. in April

Washington Jr. has been steadily rising throughout the pre-draft process, and he made his time at the combine count. He finished with the single highest athleticism score among running backs, not only in 2026, but his perfect 10.0 RAS ranked No. 1 out of 2,115 running backs from 1987 to 2026.

He ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the position this year (4.33), had the fastest 10-yard split (1.51), and the second-highest vertical leap and broad jump (39.5" and 10'8"). Washington Jr. is likely flying up draft boards after this showing in Indianapolis.

To add more credence to his draft stock, it's not like Washington Jr. is just an athletic freak who coaches are hoping can learn the position. In his only year at the SEC level in 2025, he totaled 1,296 scrimmage yards and nine all-purpose touchdowns. He is a great running back, too.

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Oh, and did we mention that Washington Jr. is 6-foot-1 and 223 pounds with 33 and 5/8-inch arms? He is absolutely massive and could serve as a bigger, more bruising and perhaps slightly faster counterpart to Jeanty's incredible quickness, vision, shiftiness and every-down ability.

If Kubiak wants to employ a two-headed monster in the backfield, and it seems like he does, then Washington Jr. and Jeanty could be an incredible pairing. Coincidentally enough, they both played with quarterback Taylen Green in college, so they've got some familiarity, or a common friend, already.

The downside to Washington Jr.'s performance is that his draft stock may have rose exponentially this weekend, and instead of being able to take him in the early part of Day 3, Las Vegas may have to get their paws on him at the end of Day 2. That's a luxury pick the Raiders may not be able to justify.

But if the front office is able to address several major needs in free agency, and they trade back to acquire more picks in April, then Spytek would be fully justified in taking a swing on Washington Jr., between his combine performance and his production. He feels tailor made for the Raiders.