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When it comes to the Philadelphia Eagles' rookie class, there are a lot more questions than sure-fire answers.
Sure, the team landed one of the best players in this year's class in Jihaad Campbell, but he isn't expected to play this spring or summer, with his actual debut date very much up in the air as he recovers from pre-draft surgery.
Outside of Campbell, eight of the Eagles' nine other selections came on Day 3. Granted, that doesn't mean Howie Roseman cheaper out on his selections, as some of his selections like Ty Robinson, Kyle McCord, Cameron Williams, and Antwaun Powell-Ryland were all projected to go higher than where they were ultimately selected.
And yet, while it would be nice to see Robinson take over Milton Williams spot, Mac McWilliams take on slot duties so Cooper DeJean can become a full-time outside cornerback, or APR become 2025's Jalyx Hunt as 2025 Jalyx Hunt becomes 2025's Josh Sweat, when it comes right down to it, the rookie class' immediate success will come down to how well Andrew Mukuba plays right out of the gates, as the Eagles drafted him 64th overall for a reason. Fortunately, if early minicamp results are of any indication, it looks like Mukuba will make Howie Roseman proud, as he's looked impressive right out of the gate.
First look at rookie Safety Andrew Mukuba 👀
(🎥: @EliotShorrParks)pic.twitter.com/gzjWmly0Ej
— Word On The Birds (@WordOnTheBirds) May 28, 2025
Andrew Mukuba could supercharge the Eagles' defense
Standing 5-foot-11, 186 pounds, Mukuba isn't going to make fans forget about Kam Chancler any time soon, but the pride of Texas wasn't drafted to play that role.
No, before Mukuba looked like a ball-hawking safety in Texas, Mukuba was a slot cornerback at Clemson, where he was teammates with future Eagles Jeremiah Trotter Jr. and Will Shipley. Mukuba comes into the NFL with a varied set of skills, a unique set of experiences, and an ability to play all over a defense, from in the slot to center field and even in the box.
In Vic Fangio's scheme, safeties are largely tasked with playing one role pre-snap, with the two players on the field locking in on the left and right sides of a Cover 2 alignment. But once the ball is snapped, that's when the magic happens, as safeties will drop into coverage, man up opposing players, or even execute the rare blitz. Because Mukuba has experience doing just that in college, he has the potential to become a certified player in the role opposite Reed Blankenship, battling with Sydney Brown and Tristin McCollum for the spot opposite CJ Gardner-Johnson.
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Though camp reps have been somewhat limited, Mukuba has been earning early recognition, playing first team safety with Brown while Blankenship isn't on the field, while incumbent players like McCollum and Andre Sam earned second team looks, according to Brandon Lee Gowton.
Discussing what he's seen so far in camp, Inside the Birds' Andrew DiCecco told The Fanatic that he believes Mukuba has the makings of a Fangio safety, as he's looked the part down to the T.
“You don't draft a player in the second round, and leave them on the bench unless they just have a really difficult time absorbing the defense. I think Drew Mukuba has the makings of a Vic Fangio safety. What do I mean by that? He's rangy, he's versatile, and he's smart,” DiCecco said.
“And I think when you look at what you have in Reed Blankenship, he's a little bit limited, but he's better around the line of scrimmage being that strong safety, whereas Mukuba has more of this dynamic quality where you can throw him out there, you can play him in the post, you can move him all around the secondary, and that's really appealing for a defensive coordinator. It just becomes whether or not he's able to pick things up quickly, because it's a challenging system, particularly for safeties and linebackers, but I do believe that when the dust settles, it'll be Drew Mukuba and Reed Blankenship as your starting safeties.”
In 2024, CJ Gardner-Johnson was able to shine in a hybrid role where his versatile skills and athletic gifts took center stage. While the Eagles chose to trade him away because of his 2026 cap hit, if Mukuba can fill a similar role this fall, it will make that move a whole lot easier to stomach, especially if Kenyon Green is able to step in at right guard and provide solid enough play for the position. Fortunately, early returns appear to show that Mukuba can be a similar-caliber player, and as a result, the Eagles will be able to count on him for some important plays as they try to turn their 2025 Super Bowl win into the beginning of a dynasty.
Will Drew Mukuba start right away for the Eagles? @AndrewDiCecco weighs in. #eagles pic.twitter.com/qoioUxZ31y
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) May 28, 2025
