A pair of Clemson stars to showcase skills in All-Star game

With the Clemson football season in the books, many Tigers are now looking forward to earning their shot to play at the next level. One major step in that process is competing in college all-star games where NFL coaches and scouts will be paying close attention.

One of the top college all-star games in existence is the East-West Shrine Bowl. In fact, it can trace its roots back to 1925 making it the oldest college all-star game.

This year, two Clemson Tigers will participate in this prestigious event. Running back Phil Mafah and defensive back R.J. Mickens have accepted invitations to play in the game, which will take place on January 30, 2025, in Arlington, Texas.

It is interesting to see Mafah committed to play in this game. After all, he's been slowed by a shoulder injury in recent weeks. Therefore, one might expect him to avoid contact so that he doesn't do further damage to that injury.

This season, the 6-foot-1, 215-pounder ran for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns on 216 carries. However, as the shoulder injury became problematic, his productivity fell off as he rushed for only 134 total yards in the last five games of the season.

For his career, Mafah wound up amassing 2,887 yards and 28 touchdowns on the ground. He averaged 5.1 yards per carry over his four seasons.

As for Mickens, he was a play-making safety for the Tigers over the past five years. He ended his season with 75 tackles (six for loss) and a pair of interceptions.

Of course, he had one of the few big plays for the Clemson defense in the first-round loss to Texas in the College Football Playoff when he intercepted Longhorn QB Quinn Ewers in the first half. Initially, that play looked like it was going to result in a pick-six but Mickens' return was called back due to an illegal block during the run-back.

For his career, the 6-foot, 200-pounder made 196 tackles (14 for loss). He also came up with seven career interceptions.

The East-West Shrine Bowl is an excellent opportunity for players to impress NFL personnel ahead of the NFL Draft. Some of the most famous NFL players who have played in this bowl include Tom Brady, Pat Tillman, Eddie George, Brett Favre, Lawrence Taylor, and Walter Peyton.

This year's game can be seen on the NFL Network at 7 p.m. on January 30. Clemson fans will be tuning in to see how these two former Tigers perform as they look to begin the next chapter of their football careers.