FRISCO, Texas — An arduous, but productive, three-day marathon has come to its conclusion as the Dallas Cowboys finalized their 2025 NFL Draft with their final two seventh-round picks, as UCLA defensive tackle Jay Toia led off the round by getting the call from owner and general manager Jerry Jones — effectively attacking the trenches with yet another pick in this year's event.
And, to round out their draft haul, they've selected the following two prospects to try and upgrade the roster for the coming season and, hopefully, beyond:
Round 7 (239): Phil Mafah, RB, Clemson
Things to know:
- Third-team All-ACC (2024)
- Attended high school in France/immigrated to U.S.
- Four-star recruit
Scouting Report + Fit:
It's yet another offseason wherein the Cowboys needed to address the RB position, especially with Rico Dowdle packing up his luggage and heading to the Carolina Panthers in free agency. Finding/creating a tandem with a bruiser like Mafah feels like the prescription for what ails the rushing attack in Dallas, if all goes to plan, seeing as Jaydon Blue was added as a fifth-round pick in this very draft.
And then there are the free agency additions of Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders to make for a robust competition.
Mafah, one of the better pass protectors in the nation due to his size and willingness to do so, can operate as the short-yardage workhorse out of the backfield to pick up the dirty yards, but also has enough versatility to provide the team a receiving option as well, even if only enough to keep defenses off-balance.
His 2,080 combined rushing yards and 21 touchdowns over the past two seasons (and don't forget the 186-yard, two touchdown detonation against Notre Dame in 2023) for a mostly successful and highly-scrutinized Clemson program tells you he's got juice for the next level, and was also an invite to this year's East-West Shrine Bowl.
What I'd like to see from him, more than anything, is the decision to go north and south whenever the opportunity presents itself, because he often depends so heavily on his ability to change direction and make defenders miss that he, at times, shimmies and shakes when he should be all gas and no brakes.
And keep the pads low, with that power, versus going vertical too soon as he runs — in ways that help defenders.
Strong, downhill and excited to deliver punishment to would-be tacklers, I expect Mafah, whose footwork is also Gregory Hines-level, to tap dance his way into the heat of the RB competition in Dallas.
Round 7 (247): Tommy Akingbesote, DT, Maryland
Things to know:
- Convert from basketball to football
- Four-star recruit
- 2nd-ranked defensive lineman 2021 class (per Mike Locksley)
Scouting Report + Fit:
Only two picks after selecting Jay Toia out of UCLA to add mass to the defensive tackle position, it's Akingbesote getting the nod as the final pick in the Cowboys' 2025 draft; and though he's not as wide and hefty as Toia, he's far more athletic.
That stems largely from his background playing basketball, a sport he once believed would be his ticket to the pro ranks, but it wasn't fated to happen that way for him. He was convinced by coaches in high school to try his hand at football, and that advice was the best he could've ever received. Akingbesote went on to become a four-star recruit with offers from both Texas A&M and Oklahoma, amongst others, before locking in on Maryland as his destination.
That tracks, considering he a native of Maryland.
His power is more than present and that's due to where he holds most of his mass: in his arms, chest and shoulders. That will serve him well at the NFL level, and he uses his unique frame to be agile when it matters, by way of leaner (but not lean) lower half. So when watching his film, note his proclivity to do "crossovers" against offensive linemen to push their footwork to the limit, because it just works.
A high ceiling here, though still needing refinement from a coaching staff that can unlock his pro ability.
