The Pittsburgh Steelers’ interest in a deep class of rookie running backs couldn’t be more obvious. With several pre-draft visits scheduled, the team continues to do their homework on the class. That included a pre-Pro Day dinner with Clemson RB Phil Mafah, who told reporters following Thursday’s workout that he met with the team Wednesday night.
“I got to go out and eat dinner with them,” Mafah told reporters via the Clemson Tiger Net YouTube channel. “Talk to them, pick their brains. Just had great conversation about their program, the way that they run their program. Us here at Clemson, just getting to know each other.”
It’s not clear if other prospects attended but Pro Day dinners often involve more than just one player.
The reporter part of the conversation referenced Mike Tomlin and Arthur Smith attending. Tomlin’s presence was spotted early this morning but Smith’s inclusion is a new development, though hardly a surprising one given the two were at Alabama on Wednesday. Clemson is a regular stop for Pittsburgh on the Pro Day circuit. So much so that ahead of former general manager Kevin Colbert’s retirement, the school gifted him with his own jersey. Someday, Tomlin figures to receive the same treatment.
Mafah isn’t at the top of the list of running backs in this year’s class but is a worthwhile prospect. He’s coming off the best year of his career, rushing for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns. Mafah found the end zone even more often in 2023 with 13 scores, though he fell just shy of the 1,000-yard mark.
While we’ve yet to write an official report on Mafah, Joe Clark highlighted him in his Shrine Bowl preview.
“One of the knocks on Mafah is his lack of consistency. After starting the season strong, he finished with 55 carries for 134 yards over his final five games. The late-season swoon bumped down his draft stock a little bit, and after potentially being thought of as a mid-round selection, he now profiles as a late-round pick. But he’s shown he can perform at a high level, and the measurables are good for an NFL running back.
He was named to the Doak Walker Award watchlist before the season as one of the nation’s top running backs. A strong showing in Dallas could help boost his draft stock.”
A shoulder injury prevented him from testing at the Combine or his Pro Day. However, measuring in at 6003, 239 pounds, Mafah shows unique size. He will hold a private workout April 8.
Current projections peg him to be an undrafted free agent. A deep class is only pushing down his stock. But that could play into Pittsburgh’s favor. Assuming the team drafts a running back in the third or fourth round, they could land Mafah as an undrafted free agent with a chance to stick. That post-draft flurry of signings is all about recruiting and teams selling themselves on players. A reminder of a good Pro Day dinner could convince Mafah to choose Pittsburgh.
