One day after being in attendance as part of a large contingent at the Georgia Pro Day, Pittsburgh Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin made his annual trek to the Clemson Pro Day Thursday.
According to Clemson reporter Jon Blau of The Post and Courier, Tomlin is in attendance in Clemson to see a number of potential 2025 NFL Draft picks work out in front of personnel from all 32 teams. According to Blau, Tomlin is the lone NFL head coach in attendance.
Clemson says all 32 NFL teams are at today’s pro day. Steelers’ Mike Tomlin is the lone head coach.
NASCAR reps are also here looking for jackmen, fuel men, and the like. (Landon Walker, Sheridan Jones among those who have transitioned into racing crew work.)
— Jon Blau (@Jon_Blau) March 13, 2025
Tomlin, who has stated time and time again that he loves the NFL Draft process and simply loves being around the game of football, is in Clemson, S.C., Thursday for the Clemson Tigers’ Pro Day. It is stop he makes seemingly every year thanks to the talent that coach Dabo Swinney churns out every season.
This year at Clemson, names like linebacker Barrett Carter, tight end Jake Briningstool, running back Phil Mafah and safety R.J. Mickens are the names to watch for the Tigers in the 2025 NFL Draft.
At the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine just a few weeks ago, the Steelers had an informal meeting with Briningstool, and an informal meeting with Mickens, who is the son for former NFL cornerback Ray Mickens.
Along with the four big names for Clemson that will be working out in front of NFL scouts and front office personnel, QB Cade Klubnik, who is a potential first-round quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft, will be throwing at the Clemson Pro Day, giving teams an early look at the Tigers’ standout quarterback, according to Greenville News Clemson beat writer Derrian Carter.
Clemson QB Cade Klubnik is warming up ahead of Clemson’s Pro Day.
Klubnik isn’t in the 2025 NFL Draft, returning for his senior season, but he may throw to TE Jake Briningstool during position drills. pic.twitter.com/gdVaPsH9LW
— Derrian Carter (@DerrianCarter00) March 13, 2025
Briningstool is arguably the biggest name for the Tigers ahead of the 2025 NFL Draft. He’s coming off of a season in which he hauled in 49 passes for 531 yards and seven touchdowns. In his career at Clemson, Briningstool finished with 127 catches for 1,380 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Steelers Depot’s Efram Geller compared the Clemson TE to Grant Calcaterra of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mafah is an intriguing name due to his size and production at the running back position. The Steelers scouted him during the season against Virginia Tech, so they have had a look at him. Mafah was supposed to participate in the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl but missed it due to injury.
During his final season at Clemson, Mafah rushed 216 times for 1,115 yards and eight touchdowns, averaging 5.2 yards per carry. He measured in at 6005, 230 at the Combine but did not test.
Mickens is a name to know at the safety position due to his bloodlines. His father, Ray, was a third-round pick of the New York Jets in the 1996 NFL Draft.
During his time at Clemson, R.J. Mickens posted 229 tackles, 13.5 for loss, seven interceptions, 15 pass breakups and a fumble recovery across 60 career games, becoming the 10th player in program history to play 60 career games.
He played nearly 3,000 snaps in college. In the 2024 season, Mickens recorded 75 tackles, six tackles for loss, nine passes defensed and two interceptions.
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