Former Clemson Football Star Gets His Pro Day Shot After Injury Recovery

This Clemson Tigers football star finally got to show off for NFL scouts during a special pro day earlier this week.

Former Clemson running back Phil Mafah at Clemson Football’s 2025 Pro Day featured seven former football players, five showing speed and skills for NFL scouts before the draft April 24-26 in Green Bay. Former Clemson offensive lineman Marcus Page and Former Clemson running back Phil Mafah interviewed but will show at a future workout. | Ken Ruinard - staff / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For former Clemson Tigers football star Phil Mafah, this has been a frustrating offseason.

Mafah played with pain for the Tigers as he dealt with a shoulder injury that limited his effectiveness in the latter stages of the season. Still, he helped the Tigers with their run to the ACC championship.

The downside was that Mafah needed surgery on the shoulder after the season. As a fourth-year player he left for to NFL draft prep after the season. But the shoulder surgery slowed him down significantly.

In fact, the surgery and the recovery kept him from participating in activities like the Senior Bowl, where he could have worked out for NFL scouts all week. It also kept him out of the NFL scouting combine, though injured players usually attend to do one-on-one interviews with teams.

He also was unable to participate in Clemson’s March pro day, in which all of the Tigers’ draft-eligible players worked out for NFL scouts.

But, Mafah was healed enough on Tuesday to work out in a special pro day at Clemson’s facility just for him, as these images show.

King Mafah | Pro Day 👑 pic.twitter.com/ocGciAYFr2

— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) April 8, 2025

Clemson will certainly miss Mafah next season. He leaves Clemson with 2,887 yards rushing and 28 touchdowns, along with 58 receptions for 309 yards in 50 career games, which included 21 starts.

He is ninth all-time in rushing yardage and tied for 10th in career rushing touchdowns in program history.

Mafah had his best season in 2024, as he rushed for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns as he played all 14 games. It was the only season in which he started every game for the Tigers.

In 2023 he shared time with Will Shipley and formed just the seventh Clemson running back duo to each gain 750 or more rushing yards in a single season since 1948.

His biggest game for Clemson was the 2023 Gator Bowl when he recorded a Clemson-bowl-record four rushing touchdowns against Kentucky, including three fourth-quarter scores, in a comeback victory.

With Mafah’s help, the Tigers went 10-4 overall and lost to Texas in the first round of the expanded 12-team playoff.

The Tigers’ biggest strength this season looks to be Heisman Trophy candidate quarterback Cade Klubnik, who had his best season statistically in three years with the Tigers. Klubnik wowed coaches and fans alike with his dual threat ability, as he threw for 3,639 yards, 36 touchdowns and six interceptions, while he also rushed for 463 yards and seven touchdowns.