Phil Mafah isn’t a shiny new name in the Dallas Cowboys running back room. The second-year running back is trying to turn a small taste of NFL action into a bigger role next season.
Ryan Fowler posted a list of players around the NFL who have stood out during the OTA period, and right there in the middle of it was one name Cowboys fans shouldn’t ignore.
Phil Mafah Is Turning Heads
That alone doesn’t mean we need to lose our minds in June. We have been around this team long enough to know OTA buzz can disappear fast once the pads go on. But this may be a good one to keep track of.
• Eagles DB Riq Woolen
• Steelers WR Germie Bernard
• 49ers LB Jaden Duggar
• Cowboys RB Phil Mafah
• Chargers SAF RJ Mickens
• Bears WR Luther Burden III
• Packers iOL Jager
The Star-Telegram also reported that Mafah looked good with the first-team offense, scored during red zone work, and had drawn praise this offseason.
That’s not nothing for a second-year seventh-round pick. That’s exactly the kind of buzz needed for a bigger role in the offense.
Phil Mafah’s Running Style Is Obvious
I went back to Phil Mafah’s draft profile, because he hasn’t gotten enough game time in the NFL to understand what type of back he can be.
I’m pretty sure most of us knew this, but he is a big downhill runner.
At 6’1” and 234 pounds, Mafah is built like a tank, or someone who wants to get north and south. He’s not going to be the type of back to make every run look pretty. He will be at his best when he can square his shoulders, and make defenders deal with his size.
The Cowboys need speed, and Jaydon Blue gives them that trait. They will have the experience with Javonte Williams, but Dallas also needs someone who can win the ugly downs.
Third-and-2 isn’t about who has the fastest 40 time. It’s about who can lower their pads and fall forward when everyone in the stadium knows who the ball is going to.
I think that could be Mafah’s lane when Javonte Williams needs a breather.
Is Phil Mafah Too Much Like Javonte Williams
I think this is a fair question to ask.
Javonte Williams is the more proven version of the physical running back with a shiny new contract. He has the experience and has shown he can run through contact in the NFL.
Is there going to be some overlap? Yes, I think there might be.
It will boil down to whether Phil Mafah can separate himself somewhere else.
If Mafah is only a less proven version of Williams, then Dallas may not have enough reasons to keep active. But if he can cover kicks, protect Dak Prescott, and catch the ball, it will give the Cowboys another physical option. Then the overlap will be depth.
Phil Mafah isn’t trying to replace Javonte Williams. I think he’s trying to prove Dallas has room for another back with physicality to him.
Clemson Shows Why Dallas Should Develop Mafah
In his time at Clemson, the numbers are what make Phil Mafah worth a longer look.
I found he didn’t have one random great season. He got better year after year.
Mafah ran for 292 yards as a freshman, 515 yards as a sophomore, 965 yards as a junior, and finished his senior year with 1,115 rushing yards in 2024.
That’s the type of steady growth I don’t think should be ignored.
By his final season at Clemson, he was the workhorse with 216 carries, averaging 5.2 yards, scored eight touchdowns, and added 21 receptions.
I hope the Cowboys aren’t just trying to find another body for the running back room, and they are trying to figure out who can keep growing into a bigger role.
Phil Mafah Is A Name Worth Watching
This is Javonte Williams’ running back room. I don’t think Phil Mafah or Jaydon Blue are anywhere near the favorite to lead the Cowboys in rushing.
Mafah probably won’t even be the second string back, but he is a name to keep tabs on as the offseason progresses.
The size, power, college production, and year-to-year growth are there. Even if it was the smallest of sample sizes, he has NFL production and a touchdown from last season to grow on.
If Phil Mafah can show he has the intangibles in other areas of the game, that will be how he sticks around.
Seventh-round picks don’t get thrust into a starting role. It’s earned through blood, sweat, and tears. If Mafah showed anything, his time at Clemson showed he is a quick study and will get better with time.
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