KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Raiders trade picks 134 and 208 to Falcons, move up to No. 122 for Mike Washington Jr.
- Second trade up of Day 3 after grabbing Jermod McCoy at No. 101
- Arkansas RB brings rare combo: 6’1″, 223 lbs with 4.33s 40-yard dash speed
- 1,000-yard rusher in SEC provides dynamic change-of-pace option
- Five picks in the books: Mendoza, Stukes, Crawford, Zuhn, McCoy, and now Washington
PITTSBURGH – General Manager John Spytek and the Raiders’ front office aren’t just building a team; they’re building an identity. After the high-profile selection of Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza at No. 1, Day 3 in Pittsburgh has been about finding the “gritty” players who fit the Silver and Black culture.
The most recent splash? Moving up to snag Arkansas running back Mike Washington Jr.
The Trade: Spytek Stays Aggressive
The Raiders aren’t sitting back and letting the board come to them. To land Washington, the Raiders sent picks No. 134 and No. 208 to the Falcons to jump up to No. 122. It’s the second time today they’ve traded up, following an early morning move to grab Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy at No. 101.
Player Profile: Mike Washington Jr. (RB, Arkansas)
- The Build: 6’1″, 223 lbs
- The Speed: 4.33 (40-yard dash)
- The Fit: Washington is a “lightning in a bottle” back with the frame of a power runner. Coming off a 1,000-yard season in the SEC, he provides a dynamic change-of-pace option for an offense that needs to protect its new franchise QB.
Building the Foundation
The draft class so far shows a clear strategy: protection, playmaking, and defensive depth.
WALK THE PLANK
By snagging Trey Zuhn III to bolster the line and Mike Washington Jr. to ignite the backfield, the Raiders are giving Mendoza the tools he needs to succeed from Day 1. On the other side of the ball, the addition of McCoy – a first-round talent who slid due to injury concerns – could be the steal of the draft if he stays healthy.
The atmosphere in Pittsburgh is electric, and for Raider Nation, the future has never looked more clinical.
