Where does Clemson’s Andrew Mukuba rank in the 2024 NFL Draft safety class? Does he have the scouting report to challenge for the top positional spot? In the evaluation ahead, we’ll approach that question head-on and come up with an answer.
Andrew Mukuba Draft Profile and Measurements
- Height: 5’11”
- Weight: 185 pounds
- Position: Safety
- School: Clemson
- Current Year: Junior
It says something about a prospect — especially about a defensive back — when they’re able to produce as a true freshman at a blue-blood college football program. Not many can say they checked this box, but Mukuba can.
After arriving at Clemson as a four-star recruit in 2021, Mukuba immediately became a stalwart defensive presence. He amassed 47 tackles, two tackles for loss, a sack, and seven pass deflections in his first collegiate action. In 2022, he added 54 tackles, a half-TFL, three deflections, and his first career pick.
Mukuba was productive from the start, and he’s also played across the secondary in his short time at Clemson. In 2022, he played a vast allotment of different alignments at safety, and now in 2023, he’s the team’s starting slot cornerback.
Needless to say, Mukuba has one of the most intriguing scouting profiles in the entire 2024 NFL Draft — but just how high can he go in the 2024 NFL Draft?
Andrew Mukuba Scouting Report
Strengths
- Hyper-elite explosive presence with rapid foot speed and closing acceleration.
- Shows off absurd hip fluidity and hinge freedom as a mover and has rare recovery.
- Elastic athlete who can open and retract his strides with rare quickness and control.
- Elite inherent flexibility enables him to sink and sustain at an extremely high level.
- Can play single-high, two-high, a variety of intermediate zones, or man up in the slot.
- Matches WRs through double-moves with lightning-quick reactionary foot speed.
- Has an eye-catching range from single-high and can erase gaps with elongated strides.
- Responds to stimulus almost instantly and is extremely adaptable in zone looks.
- Incredibly instinctive with hip leverage in zone coverage, and naturally aligns to routes.
- An active communicator who can pass off intermediate WRs and anticipate vertical routes.
- Can mirror WR releases with fast feet and discipline, then turn and carry upfield.
- Flashes biting physicality downhill and can use jams to delay WRs in man coverage.
- Proficient at using his hyperactive short-area athleticism to break down ahead of tackles.
- Can use throttle adjustments to sift through crowds and flow to ball carriers in support.
- Shows glimpses of exceptional coordination and flexibility extending beyond his frame.
Weaknesses
- Lean athlete near average stature overall, who has below-average mass.
- Sometimes vacates intermediate zones too quickly when QBs eye the vertical plane.
- At times, plays with angles a bit too wide on crossing routes, failing to crowd WRs.
- Can better key in on the hips to react more quickly to route breaks back toward the ball.
- Is sometimes a bit too passive with positioning in contested situations.
- Can make a more concerted effort to wrap around WRs and play throws with precision.
- Sometimes fails to get his head around quickly enough in contested situations.
- Can be outmuscled by blocking WRs in space and failing to establish half-man relationships.
- Doesn’t always have the strength to finish solo tackles and sometimes whiffs in space.
Current Draft Projection and Summary
On my preliminary 2024 NFL Draft board, Mukuba grades out as the top safety prospect in the class and an early-to-mid Round 1 talent. There’s a heightened degree of projection involved in Mukuba’s evaluation, but particularly in a modern NFL that necessitates true versatility from defensive backs, Mukuba is about as versatile as it gets.
Mukuba’s brand of mobility is the bedrock of his game. Not only is he an instant accelerator with imposing range, but he also has hyper-elite hinge fluidity, sink, and agility as a cover man in space.
In zone coverage, he can shift from vertical outside leverage to inside leverage, undergoing upwards of 270-degree transitions with effortless ease and maintaining his pacing and speed while doing so.
The mix of fluidity, explosiveness, foot speed, and deceleration capacity that Mukuba brings is near-unmatched and is a foundation for an all-encompassing coverage framework. Mukuba also has foot speed and transition ease to play man coverage in the slot, and he can maximize this coverage with disciplined technique and a precise sense of timing.
To that end, Mukuba has shown he can weaponize his athleticism with quick processing and instinctive feel. He has spatial awareness, keen eyes, and a smooth pedal to play both two-high and single-high. He can adjust his hip leverage through reps and instantly trigger on route breaks, and his closing speed allows him to erase gaps wherever he lines up.
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At around 185 pounds, Mukuba is a bit light, and he can improve his consistency in finishing plays, both as a playmaker at the catch point and as a supporting defender. But overall, his composite profile is extremely strong.
As long as he continues to build up his frame, he has the irreplaceable elastic athleticism, processing ability, physical edge, and all-encompassing versatility to be a dynamic hybrid defender and impact starter at the NFL level.