Washington junior Bishop Sankey is the best running back college football fans have probably never heard of, but that shouldn't be the case for much longer.
Sankey ripped Illinois for a career-high 208 yards and one touchdown on 35 carries in a 34-24 win Saturday at Soldier Field in Chicago, adding three receptions for 63 yards and another touchdown.
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Sankey has now rushed for at least 139 yards in six of his last seven games dating back to last season, including his previous best of 205 yards last Dec. to earn MVP honors in the MAACO Bowl Las Vegas in a losing effort.
A steady runner who always churns out tough yards, Sankey is a reliable three-down back with good hands. He also has a track record of elevating his play in the biggest games, posting 144 yards against the physical Stanford defense to upset the Cardinal.
The only concern about Sankey (5-foot-10, 203 pounds) in the eyes of NFL evaluators might be the heavy workload he has racked up in such a short time. After carrying the ball 289 times in 13 games in 2012, Sankey already has 60 carries this season.
Of course, there were similar questions about Matt Forte's durability coming out of Tulane and it hasn't hindered his career.
Follow Dan Greenspan on Twitter @DanGreenspan.
