Three Star Players Representing Clemson Tigers in East-West Shrine Bowl

While the 2024 season did not end the way the Clemson Tigers hoped at the onset of the campaign, they did still make it into the first expanded College Football Playoff with another Atlantic Coast Conference championship for their trophy case.
Many players had standout performances for the Tigers in 2024, and a trio of those players look to have one more standout performance ahead of the 2025 NFL draft.
Three players are gearing up to represent Clemson in the East-West Shrine Bowl, the longest-running college all-star football game in the nation, benefitting the Shriners Children's Hospital by helping raise the profile of the institution.
Three Tigers will represent Clemson tonight at the @ShrineBowl in Arlington, Texas.
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) January 30, 2025
Tune in at 8pm on @nflnetwork! 🐅 pic.twitter.com/walrwNOkT4
Running back Phil Mafah, defensive tackle Payton Page, and safety R.J. Mickens are slated for the game, and look to have one more strong showing to help improve their draft stock.
Mafah ends his college career with 2,887 rushing yards on 561 carries across 50 games with 28 rushing touchdowns. He adds 309 yards on 58 catches to that tally, and crossed the 1,000-yard mark for a single season this year, becoming the first 1,000-yard rusher since Will Shipley in 2022.
Page is another Tigers lifer, filling up the interior of offensive lines and making it hard for opposing running backs to gain any traction.
The defensive tackle ends his collegiate career with 60 tackles across 53 games, eight coming for a loss, and a half-sack. The big man recovered two fumbles in his career, deflected two passes, and intercepted one, returning it 57 yards for a touchdown this year.
Mickens, also a Clemson lifer, spent five years as a safety under veteran head coach Dabo Swinney.
Mickens ends his collegiate career with 196 tackles across 60 games, 14 coming for a loss. The safety recovered one fumble in his career, deflected 12 passes, and intercepted seven, though he did not return any for a touchdown like his defensive tackle teammate.
The East-West Shrine Bowl has been played since 1925 and will take place once again on Thursday, with the game being broadcast after the fact on Thursday at 8:00 p.m. ET.