Eagles Got 'Coach’s Dream' Similar To 7-Time Pro Bowler

The Philadelphia Eagles traded away CJ Gardner-Johnson this offseason but there's already some very positive buzz about a guy who possibly could be an option to replace him.

Philadelphia used the No. 64 overall pick in the 2025 National Football League Draft to select safety Andrew Mukuba out of Texas. Since then, there's been a lot of possitive chatter about the addition, especially because of the fact that the Eagles haven't added another safety on the open market like Justin Simmons.

Mukuba is a guy who could contribute right away. Former Texas safeties coach and current Georgia Tech defensive coordinator Blake Gideon even compared him to seven-time Pro Bowler Budda Baker, according to The Athletic's Brooks Kubena.

"Can he play in zone coverage? Can he play in man coverage? Can he communicate? Can he blitz and beat blocks and tackle? Those specific affirmatives can support the creativity of NFL defensive coordinators such as Vic Fangio," Kubena said. "Gideon remains convinced that the 5-foot-11, 186-pound Mukuba would’ve been a first-round selection if he’d been an inch taller and 14 pounds heavier. Kwiatkowski and Gideon have often compared Mukuba to another undersized safety Kwiatkowski coached at Washington:

"Budda Baker (5-10, 195), a two-time All-Pro and seven-time Pro Bowler for the Arizona Cardinals, whom Gideon says also plays bigger than his size. 'He plays a lot like Budda, like he throws his s— around,” Gideon said. “He’s a coach’s dream in that respect.'"

If Mukuba can end up being even half of the player that Baker is, the Eagles will be just fine at safety for years to come.