Brent Venables loves potential of Andrew Mukuba

On3 imageby:Adam Luckett08/02/21

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Andrew Mukuba was a blue-chip recruiting win out of Texas for Clemson in the class of 2021, but many other new Tigers were rated higher.

Despite the recruiting rankings, the 185-pound true freshman defensive back out of Austin, Texas made a splash as an early enrollee during spring practice. The newcomer missed the spring game with an injury but did log snaps at cornerback, safety and nickel during the spring. He passed his first test in college with flying colors.

“Andrew is a dynamic player in all phases of the game,” said safeties coach Mickey Conn on signing day. “The thing that caught my eye when I first started recruiting Andrew was how physical a player this kid is. This kid hits like a linebacker. But he’s fast like a corner and changes direction like a corner and can play man coverage like a corner.”

As the Tigers get set to enter fall camp, the coaching staff is not backing away from expectations for their fast-rising diaper dandy. Defensive coordinator Brent Venables met with reporters in July and gushed about the potential of this hybrid defensive back. Expect to see Mukuba play multiple roles this fall.

“He’s going to play both,” Venables said about Mukuba playing cornerback and safety. “Like, literally like every single practice he’ll play both. He’s got to be a swing guy for us and he’s back to full health. Set some PRs in the weight room. Very instinctual, plays fast — games not real overwhelming for him. Really smart, patient, confident, has a lot of things that you look for in a guy that you would maybe put a little bit more on that you love.”

Mukuba will be used all over the place by the Tigers as a true freshman, but the Texas product will not be the only one. Malcolm Greene is a sophomore out of Richmond (Va.) Highland Springs High who also has some similar traits to Mukuba. After starting three games for the defense last season, Venables believes that both Mukuba and Greene have the skills to be effective players at slot cornerback.

Malcolm Greene can give Clemson some defensive versatility. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

“Committed, consistent, tough, smart ball junkies,” Venables said about skills needed at nickel. “And that’s what it takes, to be very honest, for a young guy to be able to do multiple things.”

In the spread offense revolution, defenses must be able to rush the passer without blitzing while having guys that can cover multiple types of receivers in the back end. Both Mukuba and Greene can do that for Clemson. Don’t be surprised if one of these young players becomes a star in 2021.

Andrew Mukuba has already hit some early checkpoints in his short time in college.