Former Clemson Safety Breaks Out in Preseason Debut with Philadelphia Eagles

After battling back from an injury in camp, former Clemson Tigers safety Andrew Mukuba’s effort stood out even in defeat for the Philadelphia Eagles in his first preseason appearance.

The 5-foot-11 safety nabbed an interception off a short pass thrown by Browns rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel and took it the other way for a 75-yard pick-six to start the second quarter.

Andrew Mukuba PICK-6!

The @Eagles second-round pick takes Dillon Gabriel's pass to the house.

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— NFL (@NFL) August 16, 2025

“That was my first ever pick-six, so that was a great feeling,” Mukuba said following the game. “I was just in the right position, read my assignment, read my keys, got a run-pass key and then I was right there where [Dillon Gabriel] was looking at and I was surprised he was throwing it… as soon as I caught I already had in my mind that I got to get in the endzone.”

However, his knack for hawking the ball down and making clutch plays didn’t come to the rookie overnight.

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Coming out of LBJ High School in Austin, Texas, Mukuba rated as a four-star and No. 14 safety in the nation according to 247Sports, chose Clemson to begin his collegiate career.

While he was injured in his first spring camp with the Tigers, it wasn’t a big deal, yet it foreshadowed his time at Clemson.

Mukuba had a fantastic true-freshman season in 2021, starting the first game against Georgia, accounting for eight tackles and a pass deflection. From that point forward, he didn’t look back, finishing the season with 47 tackles, two tackles for a loss, seven pass deflections, and one sack.

His freshman campaign earned him a spot on ESPN’s 2021 true freshman All-American team, the only Tiger named on the list.

He and Tiger fans alike expected a huge year heading into his sophomore season, and while he still had a solid year, he put up similar stats and missed three games due to an elbow injury early in the season/

Mukuba opened his junior year with a bang against Duke, racking up seven tackles, one tackle for a loss, one pass deflection, and a fumble recovery. Unfortunately, though, the Tigers would be upset on the road in their season-opener, and Mukuba injured his knee, sidelining him for three weeks.

Once back in the lineup, he was still a key piece to Clemson’s defense, but he didn’t reach the same level of performance he had against Duke. Not to mention the Tigers had their worst season in over a decade, finishing 9-4 and missing the ACC Championship.

With injuries in back-to-back seasons and an underwhelming 2023, Mukuba decided to change scenery and transfer to his hometown of Austin to join the Texas Longhorns.

To many people’s surprise, the safety went on to express that he didn’t just transfer to be closer to family, but also felt he wasn’t being developed enough by Dabo Swinney and the program.

“My time there at Clemson, I just felt like I wasn’t really like getting better,” Andrew Mukuba said in an interview with Behind the Facemask. “I wasn’t being pushed enough to where I could reach my potential, my peak. I feel like the program wasn’t where it needed to be for me and the whole team to be successful.”

While it built a bit of bad blood between the fanbases, Mukuba blocked out the noise, stayed fully healthy, and had a career-best year at Texas. He posted 69 tackles, four for a loss, five interceptions, seven pass deflections, and a forced fumble in 15 games – including sending his former team home in the College Football Playoffs.

His resurgence at Texas put him back on the NFL’s radar. Scouts praised not only his versatility at his position, but also the fact that he bet on himself by entering the transfer portal for his final year.

On draft weekend, the gamble paid off. Mukuba heard his name called in the second round by the Eagles, selecting him with the No. 64 overall pick.

He was immediately in a position battle with veteran Sidney Brown heading into camp as the Eagles had recently traded starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

While he played well in camp, showing his value, he unfortunately faceed an injury that kept him out of the first week of preseason. But now, returning healthy and dominating in the secondary in his preseason debut, the tide has certainly turned in his favor.

“You know I’ve always thought that he has a knack for the football, how he practices, watching his tape – whether it was at Clemson or Texas,” Eagles HC Nick Sirianni praised in the presser following the game. “He has the ability to take the ball away; he’s a playmaker, so anytime you go out there and make a play, that’s big.

“So that [interception] was exciting, and even one [play] while he was there for the fumble recovery after [The Browns] had a mis-exchange. Well, guys that have a knack for the football find ways to be around the football.”

Mukuba’s Clemson career may have ended on rough terms, but his preseason debut showed exactly why his talent was so highly regarded in the first place. With a second-round investment and a safety room still sorting out its depth, the former Tiger has a clear opportunity to earn meaningful snaps – or even the starting spot – in Philadelphia this fall.