In the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Texas Longhorns safety Andrew Mukuba.
Mukuba spent three years with the Clemson Tigers before transferring to Texas as a senior, but his impact on the Longhorns’ secondary this past year helped his team find success and further established him as a draft prospect
The Eagles will be the third different team he’s played for in three years, and it will be interesting for fans to watch him grow at the professional level. However, before becoming a Tiger, a Longhorn or an Eagle, Mukuba spent his high school years in Austin, Texas, as an LBJ Jaguar.
From a former Texas safety to a future one, this remark solidifies Mukuba’s confidence in what’s to come for the Longhorn’s secondary in his absence. However, the relationship between these two players extends beyond just this comment and the fact that they share the same hometown and position.
In an interview with Cory Mose of KVUE, Riley actually said that Mukuba’s college career helped inspire him to choose Texas as his landing spot.He has spent a lot of his athletic career in Austin, and although he will now embrace a professional career in a new city, Mukuba still keeps up with talented prospects in the Austin area. One of these athletes is three-star safety Yaheim Riley, who attended Anderson High School and is committed to play for Texas.
Riley recently posted a picture of himself in Longhorn gear on X, and Mukuba reposted with the caption, “The next big thing to come outta Austin.”Just seeing him transfer from Clemson, to see how big he blew up just within a year. He paved the way for me a little bit with me going to LBJ,” Riley said.
Mukuba recorded 69 total tackles and five interceptions during the 2024 season, and he departs from his chapter as a Longhorn with a promising future ahead.
As for Riley, senior year is all that stands between him and the Forty Acres. With local talent like Mukuba in his corner, it will be interesting to see how his collegiate career starts to take shape next year and beyond.
