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.
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.
Checking in with some folks around football, some names as standouts from the OTA period:
• 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…— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) June 9, 2026
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.
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.
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...
