This offseason has been filled with changes to the Philadelphia Eagles' defense, with players departing and younger talent taking over the reins.
The Eagles traded away safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson while losing multiple other key pieces to free agency. Players like Milton Williams, Josh Sweat, Darius Slay, Isaiah Rodgers, and Oren Burks took their talents elsewhere.
Philadelphia used its first five picks of the 2025 NFL Draft to select defensive players who can either start or be in the rotation in year one. The Eagles' first-round pick, Alabama linebacker Jihaad Campbell, was a steal and expected to make an impact in year one. One other player selected after Campbell could make a similar impact.
Who outside the first round can the Eagles lean on to make an impact in 2025?
ESPN draft analyst Field Yates looked at all the draft picks outside the first round to see which ones would impact offense and defense most. Philadelphia's second-round pick, Texas safety Andrew Mukuba, was ranked ninth among rookie defenders, as Yates saw that Mukuba could find the field with Gardner-Johnson no longer there.
"The Eagles' remodel of their secondary continued into the draft, as they used the final pick of the second round on the instinctive, pro-ready Mukuba. I love his football IQ, and while Mukuba has a smaller frame for a safety (he was only 186 pounds at the combine), he packs a lot of power as a physical tackler. His versatility to play in the slot a little bit should only increase early playing time."
Mukuba showed off his play-making abilities as he was tied fourth in the nation with five interceptions last season. He was named as a third-team All-SEC selection with the Longhorns as he added 69 tackles, seven pass breakups, four tackles for loss, and one forced fumble in 15 games.
At safety, the Eagles will at least have Reed Blankenship hold his spot in the starting lineup and look to take a bigger leadership role with the unit. Mukuba will compete with Sydney Brown and Tristin McCollum for the other starting spot held by Gardner-Johnson last year.
Brown is expected to be the front-runner for the job as he has more experience in defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's system. Mukuba could develop and find more playing time throughout the season, as there are high hopes he will be a starter on defense.
The second safety position will be the most talked-about position battle in training camp, as Eagles fans will be eager to see if Mukuba can become the guy the team hopes he will be in 2025.