Uar Bernard
Philadelphia Eagles
Position Defensive tackle
Roster status Unsigned draft pick
Personal information
Born 2004 or 2005 (age 21–22)[1]
Abuja, Nigeria
Listed height 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Listed weight 306 lb (139 kg)
Career information
NFL draft 2026: 7th round, 251st overall
Career history
  • Philadelphia Eagles (2026–present)

Uar Bernard (/ˈu.ɑːr/ OO-ar) is a Nigerian professional football defensive tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He is a part of the International Player Pathway Program.

Early life

Bernard was born in Abuja, Nigeria. Bernard did not compete in any athletics until he discovered basketball when he was 16 years old, participating on both school and club basketball teams. He would later become involved in football and earn invitations to the 2024 NFL Nigeria camp and NFL Africa camp in Cairo in 2025. Eventually, Bernard would join the International Player Pathway in 2025.[1][2]

Professional career

Before the 2026 NFL draft, he participated in the International Player Pathway Pro Day[3] in front of NFL scouts, where he measured in at 6 feet and 4.5 inches at 306 pounds with just 6% body fat. He also performed well in drills; he ran a 4.63 40-yard dash, had a 39-inch vertical jump and a broad jump of ten feet, ten inches, earning a perfect 10.0 Relative Athletic Score.[4][5] After his breakout performance, Bernard became an intriguing prospect for the 2026 draft.[6][7] However, despite his extraordinary athleticism, Bernard has yet to play a single snap of organized football in his life.[8]

Bernard was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round with the 251st overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft.[9] Eagles executive and general manager Howie Roseman said, "We wanted to take a chance on [him]," though acknowledged, "it's going to take a lot of time."[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Feldman, Bruce (3 April 2026). "Uar Bernard, the NFL Draft's most explosive prospect, grew up in a Nigerian village". The Athletic. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  2. ^ Lohan, Rohit. "Who is Uar Bernard? Everything You Need to Know About the Nigerian NFL Draft Prospect". PFSN. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  3. ^ "NFL announces 2026 HBCU Showcase & International Player Pathway Pro Day participants". nfl.com. 18 March 2026. Retrieved 4 April 2026.
  4. ^ Nettuno, Tyler. "Who is Uar Bernard, the Nigerian NFL Draft prospect wowing scouts?". USA Today. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  5. ^ Evenson, Carter. "Who Is Uar Bernard? The 306-Pound NFL Draft Prospect From Nigeria With 6% Body Fat". Men's Journal. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  6. ^ Sauertieg, Clay. "The Best Athlete In The 2026 NFL Draft Is A Potential Star Defensive Tackle You've Never Heard Of". BroBible. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  7. ^ Payton, Mike. "Don't be shocked if the Lions show interest in Nigerian defensive lineman who might be the most athletic prospect ever". A to Z Sports. Retrieved 3 April 2026.
  8. ^ a b Zangaro, Dave (26 April 2026). "Have the Eagles done it again with Nigerian draft pick Uar Bernard?". NBC Sports Philadelphia.
  9. ^ Bachar, Zach (25 April 2026). "Uar Bernard to Eagles, Everything to Know About DL Prospect Compared to Victor Wembanyama". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 25 April 2026.