Mike Washington Jr. had to let it all out.
On Saturday, the Arkansas running back set the bar for his position group at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis by running an official 4.33-second 40-yard dash. That tied for the sixth-best time among all ball carriers at the annual event since 2003.
Not bad for a back who measured in at 6-1 and 223 pounds.
After the run, cameras showed Washington in tears. He again became emotional when talking to NFL Network’s Stacey Dales, telling her, ‘I’m so emotional, man. I’ve worked my whole life for this.’
Washington took a somewhat circuitous route to the combine, playing three years at Buffalo and one at New Mexico State before transferring to Arkansas for the 2025 season. He rushed for 1,070 yards per carry and eight touchdowns for the Razorbacks, earning second-team All-Southeastern Conference honors.
The Utica, New York, native also fared well in other testing at the combine, finishing second among all backs with a 10-8 broad jump and 39-inch vertical leap.
Washington wasn’t the only Arkansas standout to make waves on Saturday. Quarterback Taylen Green broke Anthony Richardson’s record for the best vertical leap at the position since 2003 with a 43 ½-inch vertical leap, and then topped the Indianapolis Colts passer’s high-water mark in the broad jump at 11-2.