After landing a potential game-changing linebacker on Day 1, the Philadelphia Eagles went back to the well on defense on Friday night, selecting Texas Longhorns safety Andrew Mukuba with the 64th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
The Eagles needed a replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was traded to the Houston Texans earlier this offseason. The newest member of Vic Fangio’s secondary is cut from the same cloth. Though a bit undersized at 190 pounds, Mukuba is a versatile player who lined up everywhere from back deep, to up in the box, to over in the slot with the Longhorns.
The 6-foot-3 Mukuba is on the older side, as he’ll turn 23 in December. He was born in Zimbabwe, moved with his family to the United States when he was 9 years old, and wound up starting his college football career at Clemson. He trasferred to Texas for the 2024 season, and the move helped his cause. Mukuba flashed elite playmaking skills with the Longhorns to the tune of five interceptions and seven pass breakups this past year.
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While he may need to develop in the run game at the pro level, Mukuba posted some eye-popping numbers in coverage at Texas. He allowed an absurd 12.1 passer rating when targeted, and committed zero penalties over his final 26 games in college, spanning back to his Clemson days.
Pick No. 64 overall may have been a tad early for Mukuba, but given GM Howie Roseman's track record in the second round, no one should be questioning this pick. He figures to compete for snaps right away with Sydney Brown for Philly's starting spot next to Reed Blakenship.
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