CLEMSON — Phil Mafah’s departure for the NFL signifies a new beginning for the Clemson running back room.

It’s a room that features some talent, no question, but it’s also a group littered with inexperience. The existence of all the inexperience has led to questions about how productive the Tigers’ running game will be in 2025.

One of the biggest questions centers around Adam Randall. The converted wide receiver exited the spring atop the depth chart and while many have doubts, Dabo Swinney believes he’s found a hidden gem.

“Adam is the wildcard; he is the one senior in the room,” the head coach said during Clemson’s annual media outing. “I think, and y’all know I am not always right. But sometimes I am. I really think he will be one of the great college football stories this year. I really believe it. I really believe in Adam Randall.”

Randall’s story is not only a unique one, but it’s also refreshing. Like so many others are doing, Randall could have easily chosen to transfer and play his senior season somewhere else. Instead, he fully bought in and embraced the position change.

Randall made the move ahead of Clemson’s first-round playoff matchup against Texas last season. Despite only having three practices to prepare, Randall flashed against the Longhorns, a team that fielded one of the stingiest defenses in the country. The converted wideout rushed for 44 yards, including a 41-yarder that sparked the Tigers’ offense early on.

Partly due to his commitment and his team-first mentality, the transition has been fairly smooth. Another part of that is the fact that Randall did play some running back when he was younger, so it’s not a foreign concept.

“He has really bought into this role, reshaping his career,” Swinney said. “He is going to be a lot of fun to coach. You just pray and hope he can stay healthy, because I think if he does, you are going to see a lot of what we see. He is a very natural guy, it has been a natural transition.”

Maybe Randall can do something like Brashard Smith did at SMU. After beginning his career at Miami as a wide receiver, Smith transferred and switched to running back. He went on to lead the Mustangs with 1,332 rushing yards last season and set the program record for all-purpose yards with 1,977.

While he certainly doesn’t have to duplicate those numbers, with his skills as a receiver, Swinney believes Randall is capable of having a similar kind of impact. The biggest thing is staying healthy. Do that, and the stories write themselves.

“He is dynamic,” Swinney said. “You can do a lot with him. I think he checks a lot of boxes for us. But he’s got to go do it. But I believe in him, and I think everybody on this staff does. I think he is going to be a great college football story. Just hope he can stay healthy, because if he does, he will do the rest.”