Andrew Mukuba running away as candidate for award no Eagles player has ever won

As the 2025 NFL season is set to kick off with the Philadelphia Eagles hosting the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field, sports media continue to create preseason accolade lists, rankings, and watch lists for the upcoming season.

The Eagles, who are coming off their second Super Bowl victory since 2017, are not a team in transition; they have reloaded with key free agent signings, retained key talent, and drafted well. One of their members of the 2025 draft class, their second-round pick, Andrew Mukuba, has caught the NFL by storm with his limited but effective preseason showing and his prowess at training camp.

Recently, multiple contributors at ESPN have ranked Mukuba as their fifth-best rookie heading into the 2025 season, making him a candidate for the Defensive Rookie of the Year award.

"If you need evidence as to why Mukuba makes the list, look back to the Eagles' second preseason game. He had a pick-six off fellow rookie Dillon Gabriel and later recovered a fumble. Mukuba lasted until pick No. 64 in the draft but was a playmaker in 2024 at Texas with five interceptions and a forced fumble. It seems he's picking up right where he left off as a hard-hitting, field-flipping safety with positional versatility."

What has Mukuba shown so far with Eagles to earn that spot?

Mukuba has been discussed multiple times on our site, as well as on various Eagles forums throughout the "Eagles-verse". Despite not playing in the Eagles' first preseason game, Mukuba flashed the same playmaking ability he had in college with a pick-six against the Browns.

Mukuba's playmaking ability was evident at the University of Texas, as evidenced by his five interceptions and seven pass deflections. Mukuba is also able to contribute to Vic Fangio's run defense, as he also totaled 212 tackles in 50 games, over four years between Clemson and Texas.

While Mukuba has been one of the Eagles' prized picks during their 2025 draft, fans may have to wait for his debut. Mukaba is currently dealing with a lower leg injury that may sideline him for week one against Dallas.

The Eagles have recently signed a familiar face in Marcus Epps, who spent 2019-2022 with the team, and possibly Sydney Brown, whose main contributions come from his special teams play. While Epps has provided a spark for Philadelphia in the past, he is three years older and is recovering from a torn ACL sustained in 2024. Brown has consistently ranked among PFF's lower graded safeties in the preseason this year.

It's safe to assume that Mukuba's presence will be needed for the Eagles in 2025.