Said Dabo Swinney on Mafah’s selection: “Phil Mafah was one of our captains, and he’s a guy who has gotten better and better every single year and really became just a dominant player for us. I mean, he was a 1,000-yard rusher. He’s a team guy. He’s a very soft-spoken young man with one of the sweetest spirits you’ll ever encounter, but, man, is he a physical, violent football player. He’s 230-plus pounds, but he’s light on his feet. He’s got great vision. I think he can be a three-down player. He can be effective in the passing game as well. I think his best football is still ahead of him.
“He’s got a lot of tread left on his tires, but the thing that I would say about him is his toughness. I mean, this is a guy that has played hurt, and, you know, he’s just a guy that’s always available, and that’s hard to find when it comes to that running back position. He’s a guy that everybody in the organization is going to absolutely love from the first time they meet him, and then just getting to do life with him every day. He’s just a special person, and I think they’re getting a real stud in Phil Mafah.”
A third-team All-ACC pick in 2024, Mafah closed his Clemson career with 2,887 rushing yards and 28 touchowns. The Loganville (Ga.) native played in 50 career games, starting 21 contests.
Mafah was ranked four stars out of high school by Rivals.com, billed eighth nationally among running back prospects in 2021 and 151st overall regardless of position. Mafah was ranked 13th overall regardless of position in the state of Georgia.
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Mafah, who was a fourth-team All-ACC pick in 2023, joins former Tigers Barrett Carter and R.J. Mickens in Clemson’s draft representation. Carter came off the board earlier Saturday in round four as the 119th pick overall, courtesy of the Cincinnati Bengals, while Mickens was selected as the 214th pick overall by the Los Angeles Chargers in round six.
The pick was the Cowboys’ eighth selection of the draft.
Clemson has now had at least one player selected in the draft for 23 consecutive years.
