Dallas Cowboys seventh-round pick catching fire at the right time

The Dallas Cowboys might have a hard time keeping this physical running back off the field.

Clemson Tigers RB Phil Mafah runs the ball against Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Kyle Louis. | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Head coach Brian Schottenheimer has made his intentions clear — he expects the Dallas Cowboys to be able to control the clock by running the football.

After they struggled to move the ball on the ground in 2024, Dallas remade their backfield. They signed Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders in free agency while bringing in Jaydon Blue and Phil Mafah in the NFL draft.

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Blue has gotten the most attention due to his explosiveness, while Williams and Sanders have both had plenty of success in the past. They're also each coming off frustrating campaigns, which keeps the door open for Mafah to move up the depth chart.

For his part, Mafah is doing all he can to prove he deserves a shot. The seventh-round pick out of Clemson has been putting together one solid practice after another, with his performance on Saturday standing out as his best.

Some takeaways/thoughts from Saturday's #Cowboys padded practice:

- CeeDee Lamb's acrobatic catch was the play of the day, but he and Dak Prescott connected on another deep ball later in practice that Prescott dropped right in a bucket.

- Continuously noticed Shemar James and… pic.twitter.com/ncLwmnMvIW

— Tommy Yarrish (@tommy_yarrish) August 2, 2025

That's saying something since Mafah already earned Schottenheimer's respect during the team's first padded practice. The head coach saw the 234-pound back bully his way through the defensive line, and said to the media afterward, "Phil Mafah, I'm starting to feel him."

MORE: Cowboys 53-man roster prediction: Tough cuts happen at RB, WR

Mafah was an impressive back at Clemson, recording 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns during his final season with the Tigers. In addition to his work as a bruiser out of the backfield, he's also been praised for his pass protection.

The preseason will be huge in deciding his fate for the 2025 campaign, but Mafah is catching fire at the right time with their debut less than a week away.

Clemson Tigers running back Phil Mafah runs by The Citadel Bulldogs linebacker Camden Gray. | Ken Ruinard-Imagn Images

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