Cicero-North Syracuse grad and Utica native Mike Washington Jr. is turning heads at the NFL Combine. The 6-foot-1, 233-pound running back posted the fastest 40-yard dash time of any running back at the event in Indianapolis.

Washington Jr. ran a 4.33 — .03 seconds faster than the consensus No.1 running back, Jeremiyah Love from Notre Dame. After the run, he was visibly emotional.

NFL Network's Stacey Dales reported he said, "I'm so emotional, man. I worked my whole life for this."

The 40 was just part of an impressive day for the 1,000-yard Arkansas running back who finished the season with the fifth-most rushing yards in the SEC and earned second-team all-conference honors. His vertical jump (39.0") and broad jump (10'8") were the second-best among all running backs. He elected not to participate in the field drills.  His standout Combine performance comes a month after he was widely recognized as one of the top performers at the Panini Senior Bowl.   

Washington Jr.'s post-high school journey began at the University of Buffalo, then New Mexico State, before breaking out with a strong senior season at Arkansas.

ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr. has Washington Jr. as his seventh-best running back in his latest Big Board. Mike Renner of CBS has him as the No. 182 player overall on his board.

The hometown product heads into the rest of the draft process with real momentum and with plenty of eyes paying closer attention.