FRISCO, Texas -- The Cowboys have made a big overhaul to the roster here in Brian Schottenheimer's first season. In total, there are over 30 new players, acquired by either trade, free agency, the draft or undrafted rookies.
Today, we will continue our series of diving deep into the newest Cowboys' players, moving on now to the rookies, including seventh-round pick Phil Mafah.
The Cowboys have some question marks at running back, and while Mafah has his work cut out for him, he'll be in the mix to compete for a roster spot, especially after a decorated four-year career at Clemson.
As the Cowboys have closed the books on the offseason program and get ready for training camp, let's take a closer look at the rookie class.
Initially expected to redshirt for his freshman year, Phil Mafah (26) ended up having a solid freshman year, rushing for 292 yards and three TDs. He played in nine games, including the Cheez-It Bowl win against Iowa State in 2021.
As a sophomore in 2022, Mafah was part of a three-back committee, but scored his first touchdown of the season against Louisiana Tech. He finished the season with four rushing scores.
Mafah didn't just excel on the field, but in the classroom as well. He was named to the 2022 and 2023 All-Academic teams for the ACC.
Mafah switched his number to No. 7 for his final two years. While he continued to rotate in the backfield, he had some major games, including a four-touchdown performance in the Gator Bowl to defeat Kentucky to wrap up the 2023 season.
Mafah was greeted by Cowboys owner/GM Jerry Jones on his way out to his first rookie practice, just one week after being drafted in the seventh round.
Mafah is still a seventh-round pick, which is always an uphill climb to make the roster. But the running back position for the Cowboys remains uncertain with a battle for roster spots to include veterans Miles Sanders, Javonte Williams and rookies Jaydon Blue and Mafah. In terms of rushing TDs in college, Mafah's 28 scores ranks just behind Williams, who had 29 at North Carolina. Sanders had 12 at Penn State and Blue scored 11.
A native of New Haven, Connecticut, Booker began his high school football career at Bergen Catholic in New Jersey, a 90-minute drive from his hometown, staying with friends and coaches during the week. He would finish his high school career at the prestigious IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida and was a four-star prospect in the class of 2022 when he committed to play for Nick Saban and the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Booker's freshman season at Alabama was memorable, as he played in all 13 games for the Crimson Tide and started at left guard in the Sugar Bowl in Alabama's 45-20 win over Kansas State. Booker was named to Freshman All-American and Freshman All-SEC teams after tallying 30 knockdown blocks and only allowing one sack.
In his sophomore season, Booker earned the starting job at left guard for the Crimson Tide and started 13 games, earning second-team All-SEC honors while giving up just two sacks and four pressures. He was the SEC offensive lineman of the week in Week 4 against Ole Miss.
After legendary Alabama head coach Nick Saban announced his retirement, Booker could've gone anywhere else in the country but decided to stay in Tuscaloosa and serve as one of the leaders for new head coach Kalen DeBoer's first team with the Crimson Tide. And it paid off, as Booker was named to the first-team All SEC team and a second-team All-American, allowing just half a sack on 778 snaps.
The Cowboys selected Booker with the 12th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, marking the second year in a row that Dallas elected to draft an offensive lineman with their first draft pick, and the third time in the last four years that the Cowboys went offensive line in round one.
After Zack Martin's retirement following the 2024 season, the Cowboys made it clear that they would waste no time finding his replacement. Dallas views Booker as a plug and play, day one starter and he's been treated as such in OTAs and minicamp, taking his reps with the Cowboys' starting group on offense. Now, it's all about building the connection with Terence Steele to his right, and Cooper Beebe to his left while learning to play on the opposite side of the line of scrimmage that he did in college.
