Latest news with #PhilMafah
USA Today
18-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
A true freshman the secret to life after Phil Mafah? Fox Sport thinks so
A true freshman the secret to life after Phil Mafah? Fox Sport thinks so The Tigers are returning the most production of any team in college football. But the one area where Clemson suffered the most after the 2024-25 season is at the running back position. Phil Mafah was a certified dog at tailback, but now he's a Dallas Cowboy after being selected 239th overall in the seventh round in the 2025 NFL draft. Behind Mafah's team-leading 1,115 yards and eight rushing touchdowns, only quarterback Cade Klubnik rushed for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. So, who can Dabo Swinney find to replace Mafah? Clemson football in 2025- Who replaces Phil Mafah? Most likely, the rushing production will be by committee. The leading running back behind Mafah was Jay Haynes, but he tore his ACL against SMU in the ACC Championship. He will most likely return by the start of the season, but at what capacity? That leaves Keith Adams Jr., David Eziomume, Jarvis Green, wideout-turned-RB Adam Randall, and finally, true freshman Gideon Davidson. And while Davidson might be a freshman, don't be surprised to see him as a major piece in the Tigers' rushing game next season. Randall started with the first-team offense in the spring game ahead of Davidson, but the early enrollee showcased his skills, too, especially in the passing game. Gideon Davidson a top 10 impact freshman With all the uncertainty at RB, Fox Sports college football and basketball writer Michael Cohen believes that's all Gideon needs to get his foot in the door. As an RB in high school, the 94-rated four-star (per 247Sports) eclipsed 1,000 all four years he played for the Liberty Christian Academy Bulldogs. In his final two seasons, he broke 2,000 yards, including an out-of-this-world junior campaign: 2,716 yards, 43 touchdowns, and 12.9 yards per carry. National recruiting analyst Brian Dohn had this to say about the Virginia native: "[Davidson is a] patient runner with vision and knows how to set up blocks. Quick feet with stop-start ability. Accelerates well through the hole. Has speed to finish runs. Best suited to run between tackles. Body control to make subtle cuts at second level. Difficult to arm tackle. Shows cut-back ability. instinctual runner can make defenders miss in hole. Solid pass catcher who lines up wide… Can be early contributor in high-level college program." Gideon is only one of two non-five-star recruits on Cohen's list. Defensive lineman Jahkeem Stewart at USC is the other four-star. The rest of the list includes the No. 1 prospect from the 2025 class, Michiagan's five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood, Oregon wide receiver Dakorian Moore, cornerback Devin Sanchez from Ohio State, offensive tackle David Sanders at Tennessee, Texas' WR Kaliq Lockett, CB from LSU DJ Pickett, Michigan OT Andrew Babaloa, and finally, Linkon Cure, a tight end at Kansas State.
USA Today
17-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
3 young players Cowboys may try to hide during preseason game
3 young players Cowboys may try to hide during preseason game One of the oldest tricks in the book is for an NFL team to try and hide a player they think has immense upside but isn't ready to contribute right away. Sometimes that is taken to the extreme, where a very minor injury is made out to be season-ending, allowing the club to stash a young player on injured reserve. That let's the youngster still attend meetings and work with the strength and conditioning staff, but bars them from actually practicing with the club. The Dallas Cowboys are well known to employ this tactic. Another, less obvious way, is to limit a player's exposure to the rest of the league. Back when there were four preseason games, players who might not be ready for a role that year would get some burn in the first exhibition, then mysteriously disappear from the rotation as the veterans worked their way into regular-season shape with increased activity the following week. By the fourth game, the run sheet was rookies who were expected to contribute but needed game action and players auditioning for other teams as trade bait or as a nice gesture before they were released. Players who the club thought were going to be contributors, but not without much more seasoning, were often held out from game film so hungry teams with lesser rosters wouldn't try to poach them after cutdown day. The original team hopes it can sneak these players back onto their own practice squads. This year's 90-man roster, 91 with the IPP exemption, may have a couple of candidates for such activity. RB Phil Mafah The 2025 running back class was extremely deep compared to recent draft years. It allowed players to be selected a round later than where they'd normally be projected, sometimes two rounds. As such, the Cowboys grabbed Jaydon Blue in the fifth round when in other year's he'd be a fourth rounder. It allowed them to snag Phil Mafah in the seventh when he could have very easily been in the sixth, or maybe fifth. Mafah is a brusing back who does have some long speed, but barring injury or another acquisition, the Cowboys' depth chart seems pretty secure with Javonte Williams, Blue and Miles Sanders. Hunter Luepke may be transitioning to an H-Back role, serving as a multi-use weapon, including short yardage runs. That would mean the team would stash Mafah on the practice squad, but if he shines in the preseason, than any of the 32 other clubs which are unhappy with their rooms might be looking around the league to poach someone. TE Rivaldo Fairweather There's a name which keeps creeping up into folks conversations as an afterthought, so he apparently sits clearly in the "coaches might think they have something" category: Fairweather. The former Auburn product transferred from FIU and had pretty decent numbers across his final three years in college. The Dallas depth chart at tight end is in flux. Jake Ferguson will be TE1, but is in the walk year of his contract and had an all-time bad 2024 season. Luke Schoonmaker is trying to avoid the bust label as a former second-round pick entering Year 3 and may be getting passed on the depth chart by second-year UDFA Brevyn Spann-Ford. That can all lead to Fairweather having a role similar to Spann-Ford as a rookie but it could mean he'll initially need to be stashed to the side. DB Alijah Clark The Cowboys grabbed nine players in this year's draft, but they didn't have the usually ballyhooed UDFA haul fans are accustomed to seeing. One standout name though was Syracuse's Clark, who spent time as both a safety and nickel corner for the Orange. The Cowboys may be doing patch work at the nickel position in 2025 and they could be looking for help at safety in the near future with Donovan WIlson's contract expiring and questions as to Malik Hooker's long-term fit in Matt Eberflus' scheme. Clark could just as likely be a one-camp-and-done player, or he could shine as a future rotational guy that the club wants to keep away from any poachers.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
CBS Sports Analyst Has Serious Questions About This National Title Contender
CBS Sports Analyst Has Serious Questions About This National Title Contender originally appeared on Athlon Sports. CLEMSON, S.C. — The roar of a Death Valley season opener is just 86 days away, but the echoes of Clemson's last national championship are what truly reverberate around Dabo Swinney's program. Fresh off a 10-win season, an ACC crown, and a College Football Playoff appearance, the Tigers are reloading for another title run in 2025, and the arsenal looks formidable. Advertisement You want a franchise quarterback? Cade Klubnik is coming off a staggering 3,639-yard, 36-touchdown season that solidified his place among the nation's elite. Worried about weapons on the outside? Senior Antonio Williams leads a ferocious receiving corps, complemented by the explosive talents of Bryant Wesco and T.J. Moore. On the other side of the ball, a defense anchored by a menacing front four featuring T.J. Parker and Peter Woods is poised to suffocate offenses. Jerome Miron-Imagn Images By all accounts, Clemson has the championship pedigree and the star power. Yet, as the Tigers march toward a primetime August 30 showdown with LSU, one glaring question mark looms over an otherwise stacked roster: Who will carry the rock? The departure of senior running back Phil Mafah, who rumbled for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns last season, has left a void in the backfield. For the second straight year, Clemson is breaking in a new starting tailback, a challenge that hasn't gone unnoticed by national pundits. Advertisement "Find comfort in run game," wrote CBS Sports' Brad Crawford, who pinpointed the issue as the one area the Tigers must address to meet their lofty expectations. "This will be a pass-happy team with Cade Klubnik, but offensive coordinator Garrett Riley needs to be able to breathe easy in short-yardage situations, too." The task of replacing Mafah's production will fall to a talented but unproven trio. The backfield committee is expected to feature third-year sophomore Jay Haynes, dynamic redshirt freshman David Eziomume, and highly-touted true freshman Gideon Davidson. While the group possesses explosive potential, they lack the extensive experience of their predecessor. Last season, Mafah was the reliable workhorse, the thunder to Klubnik's lightning. Now, Riley and Swinney must find a new rhythm on the ground to maintain a balanced attack and keep defenses honest. The success of their season may depend on how quickly the next generation of Tiger running backs can get up to speed. The first test will be a monumental one. The LSU Tigers roll into Memorial Stadium for a clash under the lights, a game that will serve as an immediate referendum on Clemson's ability to answer its biggest question. Can the Tigers find their footing in the run game, or will the backfield prove to be the Achilles' heel of a potential champion? The countdown has begun. Clemson's 2025 Gauntlet Aug. 30: vs. LSU (7:30 p.m. ET, ABC) Sept. 6: vs. Troy Sept. 13: at Georgia Tech Sept. 20: vs. Syracuse Oct. 4: at North Carolina Oct. 11: at Boston College Oct. 18: vs. SMU Nov. 1: vs. Duke Nov. 8: vs. Florida State Nov. 14: at Louisville Nov. 22: vs. Furman Nov. 29: at South Carolina This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys Rookie Faces Uphill Battle To Make Roster
The Dallas Cowboys' rookie class will have it all to do in Oxnard to make the final roster for Brian Schottenheimer, but one thing is clear, the Dallas head coach will give everyone equal opportunity. When it comes to the running back room, the Cowboys have an intriguing battle set to take place with rookies Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah, per Schottenheimer, seen as starting-caliber players. Advertisement But for the pair, and especially Mafah, working their way up the depth chart will be a tough assignment with Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams seen as No. 1 and No. 2 if a game were to be played today. And for ESPN, Mafah will have a tough time breaking through. "Mafah is one of the biggest backs in this class at 6-foot-1, 234 pounds," ESPN writes. "He's not particularly fast, and his collegiate efficiency was underwhelming. The Dallas RB situation is seemingly wide open, but Blue, Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders all stand in the way to a sizable role." Clemson RB Phil MafahNathan Ray Seebeck/USA TODAY Sports It is no secret that Mafah has work to do, but he has already received glowing praise from Schottenheimer, and he will need to showcase his talent when he gets the chance in Oxnard. Advertisement With Dallas wanting to be a run-first offense, there will be rushing reps to be had, and Mafah will need to separate himself from the pack. Not quick, but quick enough, plus his ability as a bruising runner and pass-catcher, there is something to work with for the coaching staff. But is it enough to work himself up the depth chart? Time to find out. Related: Dak Prescott 'Not Respected' in Dallas Cowboys Locker Room ESPN Claims Related: Cowboys' Jones Offers Micah Parsons $200 Million Contract Update
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cowboys Issue Bold Prediction on Dine & Dash 2.0 RB Draft Haul
We all remember the "Dine and Dash'' duo of Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard for the Dallas Cowboys, as our own Mike Fisher called it, and now the franchise might be bringing it back. With Zeke the hammer (with the "Feed Me'' spoon) and Pollard the twinkle-toed lightning strike, the pair created a finely balanced tandem behind Dak Prescott, with Elliott "dining'' on power yards before Pollard would "dash" through and create big, explosive plays. Advertisement That has been missing for a couple of seasons, but it could be on the way back with Dallas' draft haul seeing the franchise select Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah. Blue and his 4.38 40-yard dash time sees him as a home-run threat on any given play, and the thought of what Jaydon could do for the offense behind what is now a solidly put together offensive line gives Cowboy Nation hope the run game will be vastly different than a year ago. So that takes care of the lighting (or dash) part of the equation, but what about the dine (the downhill runner)? Mafah has that covered. "I would say a powerful back who likes to make guys miss any way possible," Mafah said on the Draft Show. "Whether it's running through them, jumping over them, duking them out, I just love to play with physicality, and I love to show others that I can also be nimble at the same time." Blue, Mafah And The CowboysBy Tony Fisher With Blue and Mafah coming into a running back room that already consists of Javonte Williams, Miles Sanders, Deuce Vaughn, and Malik Davis, that is six backs the Cowboys have on the roster. Advertisement Enter a training camp battle for the ages. But don't discount Blue and Mafah being No. 1 and No. 2 on the depth chart come Week 1 after Brian Schottenheimer's comments on the pair's potential being starters. 'I would hope so,'' he said, "or otherwise we wouldn't have drafted them.' That's a pretty bold semi-prediction right there. The Cowboys used the "Dine and Dash'' duo of Elliott and Pollard to good effect a couple of seasons ago, and now the offense might have the second coming of it in Schotty's run-heavy scheme. Blue and Mafah as the new sheriffs in town? Don't discount it, folks. Related: Cowboys Coach Reveals Head-Turning Take On 2-RB Draft Haul Related: Cowboys' McClay Reveals The Why In 'Explosive Playmaker' Jaydon Blue
