THE WEST ZONE message board | SHOP NOW: DEALS on CLEMSON apparel

Clemson’s 2021 recruiting class is underway.

Loganville (Ga.) Grayson four-star running back Phil Mafah has announced his commitment to Clemson.

Mafah (6-1, 215), ranked No. 146 nationally by Rivals.com, met with Dabo Swinney more than three hours before Thursday’s season-opening kickoff against Georgia Tech.

Mafah picked the Tigers over offers from Georgia, LSU, Michigan, Auburn, USC, Florida State and South Carolina among many others. Overall, Mafah claimed 28 offers.

ALSO READ: Our Clemson - Ga. Tech Forecast | The Final Word | Clemson's verbal commitments | Pregame Nugget on 4-star true freshman Tyler Davis

The 4-star back competed for the full three days of a Dabo Swinney Camp session in June, earning one of the two running back offers co-offensive coordinator Tony Elliott has dispensed in the aftermath.

Clemson's staff has tracked Mafah for a considerable time, as there was familiarity from safeties coach Mickey Conn’s time as Loganville's school’s head coach. And as we’ve reported, Mafah once played on a youth ball team with one of Conn’s sons that Conn oversaw.

Mafah rushed for 720 yards and 10 touchdowns on 89 carries as a sophomore.

He broke his collarbone Friday night in his first game as Grayson’s lead back, but is expected to return later this season.

Mafah attended a pair of Clemson games last season and visited campus a couple of times in the spring.

As we documented, this marks the first time in the Dabo Swinney era the Tigers have taken a running back commitment before the end of the prospect’s junior season.

Tigerillustrated.com projected Mafah to Clemson over 24 hours ago.

The Tigers are of course still working on their 2020 recruiting class, which is currently ranked No. 1 in the nation by Rivals.com.

Tigerillustrated.com will have more on Mafah in our Monday Insider.

Photos courtesy of Rivals.com regional analyst Chad Simmons.

Game-week DEALS on officially-licensed CLEMSON apparel at the Tiger Fan Shop HERE!