PHILADELPHIA — Through seven weeks, Eagles rookie safety Drew Mukuba has earned a boom-or-bust reputation.
The Eagles like Mukuba’s ball skills, but he’s been too inconsistent in both coverage and tackling. Philadelphia does not have any good options to replace Mukuba, and even if they did, sitting him would be a mistake. By season’s end, he could develop into a well-rounded starter.
“In terms of my development right now, truth be told, I’m not happy or mad to be honest with you,” Mukuba told NJ Advance Media on Wednesday. “I am just taking it one week at a time and just trying to improve, man. Because as you can see for a young guy like me coming in, and I mean, I’ve had a little bit of success, but I’ve been messing up big time in certain situations, critical situations. But I’m just really all about growing, man. I’m not emotionally attached to the results. ... I’m nowhere near close to where I need to be.”
Growing pains are part of the rookie experience, but Mukuba hopes to be more reliable in the Eagles’ final 10 games, starting Sunday against the New York Giants at Lincoln Financial Field.
If Mukuba becomes a liability, Philadelphia’s once-elite secondary could struggle throughout the season.
“One thing I’m lacking right now is consistency,” Mukuba said. “I can make plays. I got the ability to do that. But just being able to just stack good plays on top of good plays and try to eliminate the big ones and the bad ones, that’s my focus right now.”
In the Eagles’ Week 7 victory over the Minnesota Vikings this past Sunday, Mukuba picked off quarterback Carson Wentz for his second interception of the season.
On the next drive, Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson turned a screen into a 40-yard gain to the Eagles’ 15, setting up a field goal. Mukuba gave too much space to the outside and missed a tackle he should’ve made for a short gain.
In the Eagles’ Week 6 loss to the New York Giants, Mukuba took a poor angle on Giants slot wide receiver Wan’Dale Robinson, allowing Robinson to sprint free down the sideline for a 35-yard touchdown.
“Some of them are just too aggressive and some of them are just angles,” Mukuba said about his tackling issues. “It can be easily fixed. Just making the layups, as you would say, making the plays that come to (me) that I know I can make.”
So how does Mukuba get better in that area?
“Trying to stress myself in practice and try to put myself in those situations as much as I can or just stay afterward, grab a group of receivers or running backs, just to be able to work those angles and trying to find those angles,” Mukuba said.
Mukuba has missed five total tackles this season, per Pro Football Focus. He has allowed 13 receptions for 227 yards and two touchdowns, including four catches for 66 yards and one touchdown against the Giants.
He rebounded with a decent performance against the Vikings.
According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, Wentz’s QB rating with Mukuba as the nearest defender was 36.7, the lowest among qualified Eagles defenders
“As far as coverage, that’s something else that can be fixed,” Mukuba said. “I feel like my eyes tend to get me in trouble a lot or a little bit. I feel like that’s something I’ve done (well) for a long time. It’s something I need to get back to doing and something I know I can do, something that will be fixed, something that I’m willing to fix this week in practice, too, trying to train myself to be laser focused and do my job. I’m not trying to do anybody else’s job. Just do my job.”
The Eagles selected Mukuba in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, believing he could make an instant impact as a rookie. Even though Mukuba has had some rough moments, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio still believes in him.
“It’s uneven,” Fangio said on Tuesday about Mukuba’s performance this season. “The ability is there. He’s just got to be more consistent.”
Mukuba also entered the NFL with high expectations, telling NJ Advance Media before the season that his goal was to win NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He has not lost his confidence despite getting off to a shaky start.
“In just my short time in the league, I realized everything goes by fast, week-to-week, and you have to transition quickly,” Mukuba said.
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