Phil Mafah NFL Draft 2025 Scouting Report: Clemson RB
As the 2025 NFL Draft approaches, one player who is catching the attention of scouts, analysts, and fans alike is Clemson’s running back, Phil Mafah. Known for his blend of size, vision, power, and a potential for elite playmaking, Mafah is positioning himself as one of the top running backs in a talented and competitive draft class. This scouting report will delve into the strengths, weaknesses, and overall potential of Phil Mafah, and provide an analysis of his projection for the NFL.
Background and College Career
Phil Mafah, a native of Loganville, Georgia, was a highly sought-after recruit when he committed to Clemson University. Standing at 6’0″ and weighing around 225 pounds, Mafah brought a rare combination of size and athleticism to the Tigers’ backfield. He played his high school football at Grayson High School, where he impressed with his physicality and ability to break tackles.
Mafah’s freshman season at Clemson (2021) saw him sharing carries with other running backs, including the highly touted Will Shipley. Despite limited touches in a crowded backfield, Mafah flashed potential, showcasing his downhill running style and ability to churn out tough yards. However, it was in 2022 and 2023 that Mafah began to fully develop into the star we see today, especially in a lead-back role.
Strengths
1. Vision and Patience
Mafah’s ability to read blocks and set up his runs is one of his standout traits. His patience behind the line of scrimmage allows him to let plays develop before exploding through holes. Whether he’s running behind zone or power schemes, Mafah has a natural ability to find cutback lanes or exploit weak spots in the defense. His field vision gives him the ability to make subtle adjustments mid-run, making him difficult to predict for defenders.
One of the hallmarks of his vision is his consistent ability to bounce runs outside when the interior is clogged. When running plays off-tackle, Mafah demonstrates excellent understanding of angles and timing, frequently finding space and pushing for positive yards. This vision is particularly valuable in an NFL offense, where running backs are often asked to adapt to shifting defensive lines and adjust to changing circumstances on the fly.
2. Physicality and Power
At 225 pounds, Mafah has a rare mix of size and agility that allows him to be both a bruising runner and an elusive one. His lower body strength is a key part of his game, and he consistently gains extra yards after contact. Whether it’s powering through arm tackles or shrugging off would-be tacklers, Mafah shows elite strength for a running back.
His ability to run with power is evident when he lowers his shoulder and runs through defenders in short-yardage situations or when he’s asked to carry the ball in goal-line scenarios. In a league that often values a back’s ability to pick up tough yards, Mafah’s ability to punish tacklers and fight for additional yardage will be an asset to any NFL offense.
3. Contact Balance and Elusiveness
Despite his size, Mafah isn’t a one-dimensional bruiser. He has an impressive contact balance that allows him to stay on his feet through collisions. His ability to maintain forward momentum after absorbing a hit is notable and can frustrate defenders trying to bring him down. He uses his body effectively to keep defenders off-balance, whether by stiff-arming them, spinning out of tackles, or making a quick juke to evade contact.
Mafah isn’t the quickest back, but he compensates for that with lateral agility, especially when moving in tight spaces. His vision and fluidity allow him to slip through gaps or make defenders miss with a quick juke or spin move. Although not a burner, he still displays enough burst in the open field to make big plays.
4. Versatility in the Passing Game
Though he’s primarily known for his running ability, Mafah has shown considerable improvement in the passing game. Over the past two seasons, he has developed as a reliable outlet receiver for the Clemson offense. His soft hands and ability to track the ball out of the backfield make him a dangerous weapon in the screen game and in short-yardage passing situations.
In particular, Mafah’s route running has been a key area of growth. He has shown the ability to release from the backfield and run clean, effective routes, especially on wheel routes and angle routes. His receiving skills give him the potential to contribute in a variety of NFL offenses that utilize running backs in multiple ways, from checkdowns to designed passes out of the backfield.
Weaknesses
1. Top-End Speed
While Mafah is a capable athlete, he lacks the breakaway speed that some of the top running backs possess. While he has enough speed to hit the edge and turn the corner on occasion, he won’t outrun most defenders once he’s in the open field. In today’s NFL, where speed and explosiveness are highly valued, this can be a slight disadvantage, especially when teams are looking for a game-changing, home-run hitter at the running back position.
However, his speed deficiency doesn’t necessarily limit his effectiveness, as he can still break big runs with proper blocking and vision. It may just mean that he’ll rely more on his physicality and field awareness than a pure speed advantage.
2. Inconsistent Ball Security
One area where Mafah has been inconsistent is in ball security. He’s fumbled on a handful of occasions during his time at Clemson, and while he’s demonstrated the ability to hang onto the ball in most situations, there’s still a slight tendency to carry the ball loosely at times. As a running back, maintaining control of the football is critical, especially in the NFL where turnovers can be the difference between winning and losing.
Improvement in this area will be essential for Mafah to establish himself as a reliable feature back at the professional level. He will need to focus on keeping his body compact and secure the ball with both hands through traffic.
3. Limited Explosiveness in Short Areas
Mafah is not a quick-twitch athlete. In short-yardage situations, he doesn’t have the elite explosiveness seen in some other backs, which means that at times he can struggle to hit holes as quickly as more agile backs. His burst through tight spaces is good, but not elite. This limitation can be exacerbated if he faces strong defensive fronts that are able to clog up running lanes quickly.
NFL teams that utilize zone blocking schemes and rely on quick cuts in the backfield may need to work around this shortcoming by developing schemes that allow Mafah to play to his strengths in power running and finding space on the outside.
Pro Comparison:
Phil Mafah’s style of play draws comparisons to a mix of NFL backs such as Nick Chubb and A.J. Dillon. Like Chubb, Mafah possesses an ideal combination of size, vision, and power, and like Dillon, he has the ability to be a bruising, downhill runner in short-yardage situations. However, Mafah is not quite the same level of explosive or elusive as some of the league’s top backs, which could affect his projection as a lead back.
NFL Draft Projection
Mafah is a rising prospect with first-day potential, though he may end up being a second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. His ability to contribute both as a power back and as a receiving threat gives him a versatile skill set that appeals to a variety of NFL teams. Teams that rely on a balanced offensive attack and value running backs who can pick up tough yards and contribute in the passing game will likely be the ones most interested in Mafah.
While his lack of elite speed and minor ball security concerns may hold him back from being a top-tier selection, his blend of physical traits, vision, and ability to run in multiple offensive schemes makes him a coveted prospect. With the right coaching, Mafah has the potential to become a reliable starter in the NFL and could be an immediate contributor to an offense looking for a workhorse running back capable of moving the chains and contributing in all facets of the game.
