The Philadelphia Eagles selected Nigerian defensive lineman Uar Bernard in the seventh round of this year's NFL draft, despite him never having played a down of football. Bernard, who stands 6ft 4in and weighs 306lbs, impressed scouts with extraordinary athletic testing: a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical jump, and a 10ft 10in broad jump—14 inches farther than any other defensive end prospect. His body fat measured just 6%, remarkably low even for a marathon runner.
Bernard grew up in Nigeria, where American football was unavailable, and only came to the United States through the NFL's International Player Pathway program (IPP). The IPP was created a decade ago by former NFL players Osi Umenyiora and Aden Durde to provide a route for international prospects who lacked access to US high school or college football. Bernard is the first person from his tribe and state to participate in the program.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman told Bernard before selecting him with the 251st pick: 'We're gonna get everything out of you that we can, and we're gonna rally around you.' At the Eagles' rookie minicamp, teammate TJ Burke helped Bernard buckle his helmet chinstrap for his first practice in pads. Bernard joins two other IPP alumni on the Eagles: Australian Jordan Mailata, a converted rugby player who anchored the Super Bowl-winning offensive line, and Kenya's Joshua Weru.
Despite his rare physical gifts, Bernard's lack of experience caused him to fall to the late rounds. Veteran NFL analyst Lance Zierlein called him 'one of the rarest of physical specimens I've seen in the sport,' while private coach George Whitfield likened him to NBA star Victor Wembanyama. However, his selection highlights the NFL's reluctance to take chances on unconventional talent, with most scouting still focused on US college football.
