DeVonta Smith reveals which Eagles rookie has impressed him ahead of NFL training camp

Philadelphia Eagles star wide receiver DeVonta Smith has been in the league long enough to recognize talent when it’s in front of him.

At his annual charity softball game, Smith was asked which rookie has caught his eye this offseason.

He may have stumbled over the name, but he had no trouble remembering exactly where the young player came from.

"The guy from Texas? The safety," Smith told reporters. "I couldn't say his name, so yea." 

That Texas product Smith is referring to is Philly's 2025 second-round pick Andrew Mukuba. 

Smith has yet to face him at practice; however, he has liked what he's seen from the rookie so far. 

"Just seeing him out there, seeing the way he moves around, things like that," Smith said. "The way he goes about his business."

Mukuba heads to Philadelphia after a breakout final season at Texas in 2024, where he posted 69 tackles, 12 pass breakups, five interceptions, and a forced fumble. His standout moment came on a national stage against Michigan, when he notched his first interception as a Longhorn, registered four tackles, and broke up two passes, earning him National Defensive Back of the Week honors.

The Eagles still have Reed Blankenship, Tristin McCollum, Andre Sam, Sydney Brown, and Lewis Cine competing at safety following the departures of Avonte Maddox and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. But outside of Blankenship, few on that list have proven themselves as consistent difference-makers.

That leaves the door wide open for Mukuba to carve out a meaningful role in Philly’s secondary this fall. And if Smith is already singing his praises, Eagles fans have every reason to keep a close eye on the rookie's rise.