Dec 25, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; General overall view of the Philadelphia Eagles logo at midfield during an NFL football game between the Oakland Raiders and the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Top 2 Standout Performers From Eagles-Browns Preseason

Originally posted on Philadelphia Eagles on SI
By Patrick McAvoy | Last updated Aug 16, 2025 6:22 PM ET

The Philadelphia Eagles took on the Cleveland Browns on Saturday and although it wasn't their day, there was a lot to be happy about.

Philadelphia faced off against the Browns in the second of three preseason games for the team. The Eagles lost 22-13, but these wins and losses don't matter when the regular season gets here. These are tuneup opportunities for the teams to get up to speed. On top of this, it's also an opportunity for rookies to get into NFL action for the first time with lower stakes. The second the regular season kicks off, there is no such thing as low stakes at that point.

With that being said, it's not surprising that two rookies for Philadelphia stole the show on Saturday even in a loss.

Eagles arguably could be even better in 2025 than they were in 2024

Here are the two standout performers from Saturday's Eagles-Browns showdown:

Andrew Mukuba - Safety
Mukuba was selected in the second round of the 2025 National Football League Draft with the hope that he could help replace CJ Gardner-Johnson. Clearly, the Eagles have faith in him and that's why they haven't gone out and signed someone in free agency. Mukuba hauled in a 75-yard pick-six. He had one interception, one touchdown, one pass defended, and one tackle in the loss. If the Eagles can get him playing a high level, the safety questions immediately go away.

Jihaad Campbell - LB/EDGE
Cambell was the Eagles' first round pick and he already has surprised this offseason because initially it wasn't even expected that he would able to play fully until August. He's been involved in all of camp. Campbell looked like a game-breaker on Saturday. He had three solo tackles and four overall tackles. Beyond that, he had a sack, quarterback hit, and a tackle for loss. Campbell already looks like a steal and has all throughout training camp to this point.

Philadelphia may have lost on Saturday, but both rookies looked like they are ready to compete and help out right away in Week 1. That's really all you could ask for at this point in the summer. Luckily, we're a few weeks away from finding out what this team will really look like.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia Eagles on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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