The Eagles may have found their C.J. Gardner-Johnson replacement.

Picking up right where they left off on Day 2 of the draft Friday night, the team continued reinforcing the defensive side of the ball by taking Texas safety Andrew Mukuba 64th overall.

The 22-year-old was a four-year starter in college, beginning his career with the Clemson Tigers before transferring to the Longhorns for his senior season. He finished last year with five interceptions, 11 pass breakups, and 69 total tackles while serving as a physical presence at the back end of the Texas defense. Over his career, Mukuba tallied six picks and 28 PBUs.

At 5-foot-11, 186 pounds, Mukuba’s build more closely resembles a nickel cornerback rather than an all-round safety, but his playing style and ball production in college suggest he could replace some of what the Eagles lost by trading Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans last month.

Mukuba should get a chance to earn the starting safety spot vacated by Gardner-Johnson this summer, too. After dealing the 27-year-old in exchange for reserve offensive lineman Kenyon Green and a pick swap in 2026, the team entered the draft with third-year defensive back Sydney Brown as the leading candidate to occupy the spot opposite Reed Blankenship in the defensive backfield without much competition.

Mukuba should provide exactly that after excelling in a Longhorns system that often deployed him in zone coverages as a post safety. According to Pro Football Focus, he lined up as a deep safety on 71% of his snaps last season and was one of the most effective coverage safeties in college football. He allowed just 10 catches on 23 targets for 7.4 yards per reception.

The Eagles have now prioritized defense with their first two picks in a draft for a third straight offseason and will now add Mukuba to a young secondary that already features the newly formed cornerback duo of Quinyon Mitchell outside and Cooper DeJean in the slot.

The team moved up one spot in the first round to select linebacker/edge rusher Jihaad Campbell, who should also get a chance to play early in his career for a defense that lost several major contributors from last year’s Super Bowl winning team.