Over the past few years, the Kansas City Chiefs have rarely prioritized size at the running back position, leaning instead on quickness, vision, and contact balance.
But as the roster continues to evolve, Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. presents a very different archetype, one that could quietly make sense for Kansas City on Day 3 of the NFL Draft.
Currently competing at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, Washington has already put together an encouraging week and looks poised to be one of the more intriguing power backs in attendance. At 6-foot, 228 pounds, he’s built like a classic downhill thumper, a no-nonsense runner who thrives between the tackles.
Washington's game is defined by decisiveness and the ability to finish runs with authority. He doesn’t dance behind the line of scrimmage or rely on finesse to create yardage. Instead, he presses gaps with patience, identifies leverage quickly, and punishes defenders at the second level. That skill set showed up consistently in the SEC, where Washington rushed for over 1,000 yards in 2025 and scored 16 total touchdowns over the past two years against elite competition.
Mike Washington Jr. offers a stylistic change as a bruising power back that could quietly fit Kansas City on Day 3 of the draft.
Experience is another major selling point. Washington logged five collegiate seasons, giving evaluators a deep sample size and a clear understanding of who he is as a player. He’s seen stacked boxes, hostile road environments, and late-game situations where defenses know the run is coming—and he still found ways to move the chains. For a Chiefs team that values reliability and trust in situational football, that maturity matters.
At the Senior Bowl, Washington’s physicality has translated well. He’s been decisive in team drills, ran with urgency on inside concepts, and showed that his game speed holds up against NFL-caliber defenders. While he’s unlikely to be a featured receiving weapon, he’s capable in pass protection and offers value as a rotational early-down option as well.
In a running back class that remains wide open behind Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love, Washington fits squarely into the conversation. For Kansas City, he represents a stylistic change-up—a power complement who can close games, absorb contact, and add a bruising element to an already dynamic offense. Keep an eye on Washington as the pre-draft process continues.