S Drew Mukuba

Q. What’s the day been like for you? (Bob Brookover)

Drew Mukuba: Emotions have been all over the place. Excitement, but I really can’t explain the true feeling to be honest with you. It’s just a lot going on. I feel like I haven’t had the time to really sit down and process everything and really soak in everything to be honest with you.

Q. What are your impressions being here in the building? (Dave Zangaro)

Drew Mukuba: My impression pretty good. I got to meet a lot of people, new people I’m going to be around every day, so that’s always good. I mean, the energy, it’s good around here, so I’m just blessed to be in this environment right now.

Q. Who are some of the people that you met today? (EJ Smith)

Drew Mukuba: I kind of met some of the people on the staff, equipment managers, just the people that work in the building. I feel like that was important for me to kind of make those interactions with them because obviously they’re important [with] what they do, and obviously I’m going to be here all the time, so it’s kind of cool to see everybody doing their job, meet everybody. It’s awesome.

Q. Have you talked to any players in the last couple hours? (EJ Smith)

Drew Mukuba: Yeah, a couple of them reached out to me. [DB] Coop [Cooper DeJean], [S] Reed [Blankenship], those guys. They reached out to me as soon as I got drafted, so that was kind of cool to hear from those guys.

Q. How familiar are you with the Eagles organization growing up in Texas? I think you said you’re from Austin. (Ed Kracz)

Drew Mukuba: Growing up, obviously I watched football, so I watched the Eagles play for a long time, but recently just being in college, I feel like I’ve watched more football than I’ve ever watched, so I kind of got a good idea of what kind of situation I’m walking into. I mean, they’ve already been doing great things, so it’s just me coming on just keeping the trailer on.

Q. You said that part of the reason that you transferred to Texas was to continue your development, so once you finally got into the draft process going through the combine and all that stuff, what moments showed you that you were ready for that? (Brooks Kubena)

Drew Mukuba: I feel like my maturity was the main thing. I felt like I matured a lot, my game matured, my knowledge got better. So, I feel like I’ve learned a lot with my time. I’ve gained a lot of knowledge of the game of football. So just being able to have those conversations with the coaches and being able to kind of break down film or to answer certain questions that they want to know about or what somebody else is doing, those sort of things. I feel like I grew a lot in those areas and then I was able to show that during this process.

Q. Have you had time or have you reflected on your journey being born in Zimbabwe, immigrating to the United States as a 9-year-old and to where you are now? Have you over the last 24 hours or so? (Jeff McLane)

Drew Mukuba: No, not really, to be honest with you. I mentioned earlier I feel like I haven’t really had the time to sit down and kind of wrap my mind around everything that’s going on. The feeling I’m feeling right now is surreal. It feels like a dream, so I feel like as soon as I get that time to actually sit down and soak everything in, I’m going to have a moment to myself for sure.

Q. What do your parents think about this? (Jeff McLane)

Drew Mukuba: They’re excited. They’re excited about the new journey. Obviously, they’re excited to see their child doing what he’s supposed to be doing at the highest level. So, I mean they’re just excited, emotions all over the place, like I said, but they’re just proud of me, happy for me.

Q. What are your memories of Zimbabwe? (Bob Brookover)

Drew Mukuba: It’s always easy to remember the stuff that makes you who you are, the stuff that kind of molds you into the person that you are. The hard times, you can’t forget the hard times. Obviously, that makes you become who you are. So, I mean I remember a little bit of that, but I don’t really remember much. I was a little younger, but certain things I remember though.

Q. What were the hard times? (Jeff McLane)

Drew Mukuba: Just trying to find better opportunities overall, a better life. We struggled in some areas, but I like to credit my parents a lot. I feel like they did a good job of making sure everybody was good, the family was good, obviously my siblings as well, so I like to give a shout out to them. They did what they’re supposed to do for sure.

Q. Did you get to talk to Safeties Coach Joe Kasper or Passing Game Coordinator/Defensive Backs Coach Christian Parker much today, and what have been your first impressions of those guys? (John McMullen)

Drew Mukuba: I got to talk to Joe a little bit. We had some good conversations. We didn’t really get to talk much. I mean there’s a lot going on right now, but the conversation we had, I felt good about the conversation and everything.

Q. What did it mean to you to have former Texas CB Jahdae Barron back in Austin last night at your party? (Dave Zangaro)

Drew Mukuba: It meant a lot. I was at his party that first day and for him to come to my party the next day, that was kind of a cool moment, cool thing to see. That’s my dog and I’ve known him for a little while, so we’re tight. That’s my brother. It’s always good to see somebody supporting another brother and just the love that he shows and the love that’s just all around, to get that in return.

Q. The NFL increased its efforts to make the game international. Is that efforts that you’re interested in working with? (Brooks Kubena)

Drew Mukuba: Yeah, eventually. Eventually, I want to be able to kind of get that going as well just because of who I am, where I’m from. I feel like it’s a cool thing to kind of see the game of football expanding in different areas, but if I can get involved, then that would be something definitely cool to be a part of for sure.

Q. I know you don’t give much thought to being on the smaller side, right? But is there anybody you patterned your game off of going through the ranks here? (Ed Kracz)

Drew Mukuba: I like to watch guys typically that’s my body type, body frame. I can’t go watch– I mean I can watch it, but I can’t really do as much as guy that’s 6’3″. I watch the guys that’s my height, my size, kind of move the same and just kind of see what they do and just add it to my game to improve my game obviously. But being at this level, every little thing you can find to help you, you’re going to need it.

Q. Anybody in particular? (Ed Kracz)

Drew Mukuba: I’d say a guy like [Cardinals S] Budda Baker, [Lions S] Brian Branch, those guys that’s my size and kind of move how I move a little bit.

Q. Do you remember the first time you watched football and said, ‘Wow, that’s what I want to do?’ (Bob Brookover)

Drew Mukuba: I don’t remember the actual first time, but I know after that first time what me and my little brother always wanted to do was play football, and once we got the chance, we took advantage of our opportunities and made the best of it, and now I’m sitting here in front of y’all.

Q. How old were you at that point, do you think? (Bob Brookover)

Drew Mukuba: I was like 12 years old.

Q. What did you guys like about the game? Was it the physicality? (John McMullen)

Drew Mukuba: Being young, it just seemed fun. We were always energetic, and we always wanted to go outside and run around and those sort of things. So just watching the game, it just looked so fun. I feel like people just out there having fun, hitting somebody, running around, kind of take you back to the days at the park or days on the field with your friends just having fun and running around. So, that’s how we really looked at it to be honest with you. So, we just wanted to go out there and have fun as well. And then obviously everything unfolded.

Q. What did your parents think of your first forays into football and how immersed are they in the game now? How well do they understand it? (Jeff McLane)

Drew Mukuba: Where I’m from, all we’ve ever known was soccer. So, when we got here, they were kind of slow getting adjusted to everything that’s going on with football, the rules and kind of surprised [about] what shoulder pads and a helmet looks like. So those sort of things. But along the way though, I feel like me and my brother playing more and kind of seeing where this game got a chance to take us and do it for life. So, they got more involved, learned a lot throughout the process. Obviously, I feel like now they’re fully aware of what’s really going on and this process and how this whole process has been.

Q. You said yesterday you were raised on ‘Hook ‘Em Horns.’ Did you have an NFL team? (Bob Brookover)

Drew Mukuba: No, not really. When I was young, I just liked watching football. I didn’t really have a particular football [team], but being from Texas you’re going to probably run into a lot of those Texas teams. But other than that, I wouldn’t say I had a particular team. I just loved watching football when I was young.

Q. The defensive backs, did you like watching them in particular or was it something you just– (Ed Kracz)

Drew Mukuba: No, not really. When I was younger, I liked having a ball in my hand, so I was watching running backs, quarterbacks, and receivers. I liked to score touchdowns. Wasn’t really thinking about DB or safety or anything like that.

Q. When did you get put over there and how did you get put over there? (Ed Kracz)

Drew Mukuba: I’ve always played defense because I was one of the best athletes on the field, but I just enjoyed scoring touchdowns at the time. But I felt like reality kind of kicked in going into high school, what position I needed to play, what position I felt like I was going to be more successful. And obviously my transition, I played both still, but I felt like I had a bright future playing that safety position just because how I approached the game and how I played the position, I felt like I was meant to play the position. So that’s how really everything happened with the transition.

Q. When you first got to Clemson with former Clemson Head Coach Brent Venables, did he show you certain players to show you the position, and were there players you were modeling yourself after from the very onset? (Brooks Kubena)

Drew Mukuba: Yeah, definitely. He showed me a lot of things. I learned a lot of things in my time there. But a guy I watched a lot of [former Clemson S] K’Von Wallace when I got there. Obviously, a guy that’s my size and body type, he was a good player at Clemson. But I’ve seen a lot from my time at Clemson. I’ve seen different guys come in, and obviously playing under Brent Venables, I learned a lot from their process, and I feel like that’s what really helped me kind of get to this point because I was exposed to a lot early on. So, he made everything transitioning from Clemson to Texas pretty smooth.

Q. Any knowledge of former Eagles S Brian Dawkins? (Jeff McLane)

Drew Mukuba: Yeah, definitely, definitely. They love Brian Dawkins at Clemson. He used to always come by a lot in Clemson. Had a few good conversations with him, but yeah, I’ve had a conversation with him, seen him a lot when I was in Clemson. But he’s good people.

I know they love him here, too. I’ve seen his picture on the wall and everything. I know they love him here.

Q. You talk to RB Will Shipley and LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr. yet? (Bob Brookover)

Drew Mukuba: Yeah, I forgot to say that. They were two that also reached out to me as well. I mean those are the guys I came in my freshman year at Clemson. Trotter was my roommate, matter of fact, when I got there. So, it was kind of cool. It was kind of cool for everything to go full circle and come back, and now I’m going to be on the same defense with Trot and on same team as Will Shipley, so it’s amazing. Already have people that I already know here, kind of help me and guide me when I get here to get everything figured out.