DeVonta Smith couldn't help but praise rookie that he hasn't faced yet

If there is a player that would know a good player when he sees one, it would be Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith.

During Smith's fourth annual celebrity softball game at Coca-Cola Park last week, the wide receiver went out of his way to praise one of the rookies on his team. Smith hasn't faced off against him yet on the field. Still, second-round pick safety Andrew Mukuba already has the attention of the young receiver.

"Just seeing him out there, seeing the way he moves around, things like that," Smith said via CBS Sports' Jeff Kerr. "The way he goes about his business."

Mukuba has a chance to be a starter in 2025

This was another classic example of Howie Roseman getting an absolute steal in the NFL Draft as the Eagles selected Mukuka a round later than he was expected. The Texas safety was a third-team All-SEC selection in 2024, as he tied for fourth in the nation with five interceptions. He added 69 tackles, four tackles for loss, seven pass breakups, and a forced fumble in 15 games.

Philadelphia traded away its starting safety, C.J. Gardner-Johnson, to the Houston Texans this offseason in a move that general manager Howie Roseman has described as a financial decision. The Eagles still have Reed Blankenship as one of the starters, but Mukuka is battling with Sydney Brown and Tristin McCollum for the other starting job.

Throughout OTAs and minicamp, Brown and Mukuka were splitting the first-team reps at practice so there doesn't appear to be a clear cut winner. Brown has more experience than Mukuba in Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's scheme, but Mukuka has caught many people's attention within the organization.

This is one of the most intriguing position battles going into training camp because of how good the Eagles' defense was last year and the team doesn't want to lose momentum. They were the number one defense in the NFL in 2024 in total defense as the only unit who allowed less than 300 yards a game.

Mukuka has a legitimate shot at being a day one starter and possesses all the traits that Gardner-Johnson has in his coverage skills. It feels like a match made in heaven between Mukuka and the Eagles.