{"id":335803,"date":"2026-06-14T09:09:35","date_gmt":"2026-06-14T09:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/335803\/"},"modified":"2026-06-14T09:09:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-14T09:09:35","slug":"phil-mafah-is-making-dallas-pay-attention-inside-the-star","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/335803\/","title":{"rendered":"Phil Mafah is Making Dallas Pay Attention \u00bb Inside The Star"},"content":{"rendered":"

Phil Mafah isn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

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\u2019t ignore.<\/p>\n

\"Phil<\/p>\n

Phil Mafah Is Turning Heads<\/p>\n

That alone doesn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

\"Ryan<\/p>\n

Checking in with some folks around football, some names as standouts from the OTA period:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Eagles DB Riq Woolen
\u2022 Steelers WR Germie Bernard
\u2022 49ers LB Jaden Duggar
\u2022 Cowboys RB Phil Mafah
\u2022 Chargers SAF RJ Mickens
\u2022 Bears WR Luther Burden III
\u2022 Packers iOL Jager<\/p>\n

The Star-Telegram also reported that Mafah looked good with the first-team offense<\/a>, scored during red zone work, and had drawn praise this offseason.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not nothing for a second-year seventh-round pick. That\u2019s exactly the kind of buzz needed for a bigger role in the offense.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Phil Mafah\u2019s Running Style Is Obvious<\/p>\n

I went back to Phil Mafah\u2019s draft profile<\/a>, because he hasn\u2019t gotten enough game time in the NFL to understand what type of back he can be.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m pretty sure most of us knew this, but he is a big downhill runner.<\/p>\n

At 6\u20191\u201d and 234 pounds<\/a>, Mafah is built like a tank, or someone who wants to get north and south. He\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

The Cowboys need speed, and Jaydon Blue gives them that trait<\/a>. They will have the experience with Javonte Williams, but Dallas also needs someone who can win the ugly downs.<\/p>\n

Third-and-2 isn\u2019t about who has the fastest 40 time. It\u2019s about who can lower their pads and fall forward when everyone in the stadium knows who the ball is going to.<\/p>\n

I think that could be Mafah\u2019s lane when Javonte Williams needs a breather.<\/p>\n

\"Phil<\/p>\n

Is Phil Mafah Too Much Like Javonte Williams<\/p>\n

I think this is a fair question to ask.<\/p>\n

Javonte Williams is the more proven version of the physical running back with a shiny new contract<\/a>. He has the experience and has shown he can run through contact in the NFL.<\/p>\n

Is there going to be some overlap? Yes, I think there might be.<\/p>\n

It will boil down to whether Phil Mafah can separate himself somewhere else.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Phil Mafah isn\u2019t trying to replace Javonte Williams. I think he\u2019s trying to prove Dallas has room for another back with physicality to him.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Clemson Shows Why Dallas Should Develop Mafah<\/p>\n

In his time at Clemson, the numbers are what make Phil Mafah worth a longer look.<\/p>\n

I found he didn\u2019t have one random great season. He got better year after year.<\/p>\n

Mafah ran for 292 yards as a freshman<\/a>, 515 yards as a sophomore, 965 yards as a junior, and finished his senior year with 1,115 rushing yards in 2024.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s the type of steady growth I don\u2019t think should be ignored.<\/p>\n

By his final season at Clemson<\/a>, he was the workhorse with 216 carries, averaging 5.2 yards, scored eight touchdowns, and added 21 receptions.<\/p>\n

I hope the Cowboys aren\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n

\"Dallas<\/p>\n

Phil Mafah Is A Name Worth Watching<\/p>\n

This is Javonte Williams\u2019 running back room<\/a>. I don\u2019t think Phil Mafah or Jaydon Blue are anywhere near the favorite to lead the Cowboys in rushing.<\/p>\n

Mafah probably won\u2019t even be the second string back, but he is a name to keep tabs on as the offseason progresses.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

If Phil Mafah can show he has the intangibles in other areas of the game, that will be how he sticks around.<\/p>\n

Seventh-round picks don\u2019t get thrust into a starting role. It\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

Was this helpful?<\/p>\n

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