Nigeria’s Uar Bernard Makes History as Philadelphia Eagles Select Him in 2026 NFL Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles have selected Nigerian defensive tackle Uar Bernard with the 251st overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, making him the first African player from the NFL’s International Player Pathway Programme to be drafted in the history of the initiative.

Bernard, 21, was born in Unguwa Uku, a village in northern Nigeria, and grew up in Abuja. He only entered the IPP programme in January 2026, meaning the journey from his first day in the programme to hearing his name called at the draft took just over four months.

DT Uar Bernard from the International Player Pathway Program got his moment on the Draft stage and it was incredible. ❤️ @NFLAfrica

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— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2026

The story of how he got there is just as remarkable as the destination. Bernard was playing basketball when a coach noticed him in 2023 and encouraged him to attend a three-day training camp in Abuja. Before football found him, he had been planning a career in real estate. Former NFL defensive end Osi Umenyiora, serving as lead ambassador for NFL Africa, identified his potential and invited him to the 2024 NFL Nigeria camp. Bernard then progressed to the NFL Africa camp in Cairo in 2025, where he earned his spot in the IPP class of 2026. He had never played a down of organised American football.

What he does have is a physical profile that left scouts speechless. At 6-foot-4½ and 306 pounds with just six percent body fat, Bernard ran the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds, posted a 39-inch vertical jump, and recorded a broad jump that was 14 inches longer than any other defensive tackle at this year’s combine. His Relative Athletic Score was 9.90 out of a possible 10, one of the highest ever recorded at his position.

The Eagles have been here before. Jordan Mailata, an Australian rugby player with no football background, was taken by Philadelphia in the seventh round of the 2018 Draft through the same pathway programme and has since become one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. The Eagles are clearly comfortable developing raw athletic talent from scratch, and Bernard may be their most ambitious project yet.

For Nigerian sport, the moment carries real weight. Bernard’s draft selection is a landmark, evidence that with the right infrastructure and opportunity, the continent’s athletic talent can reach the largest stages in the world.