From now until the 2025 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Clemson running back Phil Mafah.
No. 7, PHIL MAFAH, RB, CLEMSON (Senior) — 6005, 234 POUNDS
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Phil Mafah | 6005/234 | 9 1/2″ | 31 3/8″ | 77 5/8″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
-Good size and strength for the position; well-built with thick frame to withstand workload
-Not going to try to overdo it in the run game; takes what’s there, remains on time/track
-Consistently falls forward; has the body to wear defenders down
-Comfortable playing in gap and zone-run schemes
-Has the patience and vision to pick his way through front seven in the run game
-Shows flashes as a receiver out of the backfield with soft hands
– Plays with good pad level and leg drive as a runner; hard to bring down one-on-one
– Knack for ripping off chunk plays; good vision to find crease and power through it
THE BAD
-Lateral speed and agility are a concern; isn’t going to turn the corner on many and lacks lateral burst to create behind LOS
-Not an explosive cutter; more of a build-up guy who glides and takes time to change directions
-Frame doesn’t match with true style of play; not that consistent hammer between the tackles
-Battled through a nagging shoulder injury that ended his season early and required surgery, keeping him out of Shrine Bowl
-Pass protection really isn’t a part of his game; when asked to do it, plays too passive
-Only one season as a true RB1
BIO
-Played in 50 career games at Clemson with 21 starts
-Finished Clemson career with 561 rushing attempts for 2,887 yards and 28 touchdowns, adding another 58 receptions for 309 yards
-Ninth all-time in Clemson history with 2,887 rushing yards
-Voted team captain ahead of 2024 season
-Earned third-team All-ACC accolades in 2024
-Recorded 216 carries for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns along with 21 receptions for 103 yards in 2024
-Played through a preseason shoulder injury that ultimately ended his season early in the College Football Playoff game against Texas
-Four-star prospect coming out of high school that was ranked the No. 11 running back in the country
-Graduated from Clemson in May 2024 with a degree in management
-Parents are from Ivory Coast, West Africa
-Taught himself how to play the keyboard and enjoys doing it in his free time
TAPE BREAKDOWN
After sharing backfield duties in 2023 with current Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley, Clemson senior Phil Mafah got the chance to be the true No. 1 running back for the Tigers under head coach Dabo Swinney in 2024 and took advantage of it.
The big, physical running back rumbled his way to 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns on 216 carries, earning third-team All-ACC accolades. He battled through a preseason shoulder injury that nagged him all year before ultimately requiring surgery.
Despite the injury that knocked him out of Clemson’s College Football Playoff matchup against Texas after just two carries, Mafah has some interesting tape that has him firmly on the NFL radar ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Mafah measures in at 6005, 234 pounds, so he’s well-built for the position and can be that between-the-tackles hammer at the next level. However, he didn’t test at all at the Combine or his Pro Day as he continues to recover from the shoulder injury. That is concerning because the tape shows a lack of lateral agility and questions about his long speed.
Between the tackles, though, Mafah is a battering ram who can wear down opponents.
What Mafah does well is stay on track with his runs, working downhill. He has good vision and feel, allowing him to find creases and crash through them to reach the second level.
He does well to get square to the line of scrimmage quickly and press downhill. He trusts his linemen that the crease will develop, and more often than not it opened in front of him just enough for him to slip through, much like here against Wake Forest.
Similar rep here from Mafah, and it results in a double-explosive play against Florida State.
Watch how he gets his shoulders and hips square to the line of scrimmage at the handoff and immediately starts working downhill. Then things part like the Red Sea, and he explodes through it, doing a good job of seeking the sideline and using the proper angle to run away from the defensive back.
He doesn’t have great long speed, but he has a good feel in space and good eyes to take him to daylight, allowing him to rip off chunk yardage.
As a big running back, Mafah has power in his game, too.
Heck of a rep here again against Florida State, Mafah running over the defensive back at the second level in impressive fashion.
You can see he’s not the fleetest of foot. He’s more of a lumbering running back who needs a runway. But once he has that runway, he’s tough to bring down.
The Florida State defender found that out the hard way.
There are times, though, when he doesn’t lean into his size and dish out punishment.
Like this rep here against Florida State.
Things open up in a major way for Mafah, and he has the runway. But once he gets into traffic at the second level, he doesn’t play to his strengths, which are his size and physicality. He had a prime opportunity to dish out punishment, but he let up and went down relatively easy.
Maybe that had to do with the shoulder injury, but there were a handful of runs like this on tape that were concerning.
What I do like about Mafah, particularly behind the line of scrimmage, is his footwork.
He’s really good as a one-cut runner, utilizing good, efficient footwork to bounce to the right hole and explode forward.
Watch his feet here against Florida State and Virginia Tech last season. He’s able to plant that foot, get into the right gap and burst forward for a good gain. There’s very little wasted movement back there from Mafah, which is a great sign. No need to hesitate, slow down and give defenders extra time to win and get off blocks.
There was one rep against Wake Forest that was concerning with Mafah showing indecisiveness that cost him.
Just can’t do that with his lack of agility. That said, I love the way he finished the rep, fighting for every blade of grass and refusing to go down on first contact.
CONCLUSION
Despite the nagging shoulder injury that has limited him throughout the pre-draft process, and the concerns about consistency down the stretch in 2024, there’s a lot to like with Phil Mafah’s game. He has a great frame for the position and showed he can handle a heavy workload as the true lead back.
He’s best suited to be in a split backfield like he was in 2023 at Clemson. If he is asked to be the three-down back, he has shown he can handle it and brings some positives as a receiver out of the backfield. His pass protection needs to improve greatly though. He has the frame to withstand rushers, but he doesn’t play with much urgency or power in that part of his game.
At his best, he’s an early-down running back who is the hammer between the tackles and can serve as the closer late in games when he can wear opponents down. He reminds me of Tyler Allgeier.
Projection: Mid-Day 3
Depot Draft Grade: 7.0 — Backup/Special Teamer
Games Watched: Florida State (2024), Louisville (2024), Virginia Tech (2024), Wake Forest (2024)
