While running back has not been a position discussed for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2026 NFL Draft, it may be one that needs addressing.
The Eagles have Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby as the top backs, but with questions about Will Shipley and Dameon Pierce, leaving an opening to steal a roster spot in the backfield. Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr. spoke with NFL Draft On SI's Justin Melo, where he revealed that he spoke with the Eagles.
"I also met with a bunch of teams on Zoom. I’ve probably hit all 32 teams. The Packers was probably the most recent one. The Las Vegas Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins, Tennessee Titans, New York Giants and Jets, Seahawks, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Philadelphia Eagles, to name a few."
Eagles could be looking at Mike Washington Jr. in the NFL Draft
Washington has slowly improved throughout his college career, but his 2025 campaign with the Razorbacks was his best as he rushed for 1,070 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 6.4 yards per carry while adding another 226 receiving yards and one score. He made waves at the NFL Combine as he was the fastest running back, running a 4.33-second 40-yard dash and a 1.51-second 10-yard split.
Barkley has begun to show regression in his game, prompting the Eagles to start thinking about the future at the position. Shipley hasn't done enough on offense to give the franchise confidence that he's the guy, and while Bigsby has been solid, he's more likely to collect a bigger payday after the 2026 season elsewhere if he continues his momentum.
New Eagles offensive coordinator Sean Mannion will be working to establish his identity with the offense and bring in his own talent. If Mannion has a lot of say in who gets selected into his offense, Washington could give him the speed that he's lacking in the backfield, despite Barkley showing signs of having bursts in his run.
Read more: NFL voice's draft trade suggestion would be great for Eagles (but won't happen)
Washington is projected to be a Day 2 pick in the draft, which might make his potential selection by the Eagles eyebrow-raising among the fan base. He's got top-end speed and could be a lethal weapon in the offense, but there are bigger needs on the roster that the Eagles might have to consider before thinking running back.
Add us as a preferred source on Google