DeVonta Smith can’t pronounce his name, but this Eagles rookie already has his respect

DeVonta Smith might come off like one of the more soft-spoken guys in the Eagles locker room, but don’t let that quiet demeanor fool you — dude’s lowkey hilarious. While hosting his fifth annual Celebrity All-Star Game at Coca-Cola Park, Smitty was out there roasting the Florida heat and cracking jokes like it was just another day at the office.

That’s where he spent most of the offseason — not at the NovaCare Complex during voluntary OTAs, but training in the muggy Florida heat to stay sharp ahead of training camp. Still, he showed up for mandatory minicamp in early June, where the Eagles got a short 90-minute glimpse of their rookies. One player, in particular, caught his eye.

DeVonta Smith on which Eagles rookie has stood out the most

Asked DeVonta Smith which rookie has impressed him the most so far.

"The guy from Texas…the safety."

Media helps him out with Drew Mukuba's last name.

"Yeah, I couldn't say his name." – Smith laughing. #Eagles pic.twitter.com/FWLIcTdjaV

— Cory Nidoh (@Cory_Nidoh) June 29, 2025

That’s Smitty for you. Calm. Collected. Quiet — but sneakily one of the funnier dudes on the roster. And when it comes to football, he doesn’t hand out compliments just to be nice. For Mukuba to grab his attention, he clearly made a strong first impression.

With Chauncey Gardner-Johnson gone again — the door is wide open for someone to step in and make noise at the safety position. Enter Mukuba, the former Clemson standout, who’s got a legit shot at starting alongside Reed Blankenship come Week 1 against the Cowboys.

Is he the most talented rookie the Eagles drafted this year? Probably not. But Mukuba plays with the kind of energy and edge that Philly fans fall in love with — almost like a younger version of CJGJ, minus all the Twitter fingers.

As Smitty put it:

“Just seeing him out there, seeing the way he moves around… the way he goes about his business. He’s locked in.”

Mukuba didn’t even attend the event in Allentown, but his presence was clearly felt.

Training Camp is just around the corner

We’re about three weeks away from Philadelphia Eagles training camp, and for a rookie like Andrew Mukuba, getting a compliment from DeVonta Smith has to feel pretty damn good. Still, it’s probably in Smitty’s best interest to gas him up now—because it won’t be long before he’s out there cooking him in front of reporters.

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That’s when we’ll really learn something about the Eagles’ rookie. How will he respond? The culture and coaching staff are already in place for him to grow into a solid NFL player. And going up against this wide receiver room and skill-position group every single day? That’ll fast-track anyone’s development.

As a safety, Mukuba will be moved all over the field in Vic Fangio’s scheme. One play he could be matched up with Dallas Goedert, and the next, he’s lining up across from the Slim Reaper himself. Either way, Eagles fans should be fired up—training camp is almost here, and our quest to go back-to-back starts now.

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