Who is Uar Bernard? NFL Draft prospect draws Victor Wembanyama comparison
Uar Bernard is quickly emerging as one of the most intriguing late-round prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Bernard has trained as part of the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program - which seeks to "provide elite athletes from around the world the opportunity to earn a spot on an NFL roster and increase the number of international players in the league" - over the last few years.
The 21-year-old Nigerian was noticed while playing basketball, according to The Athletic's Bruce Feldman, and signed with the IPP after attending several football camps in Africa.
Bernard - who is training to be a defensive tackle - got a chance to work out in front of NFL scouts at a recent HBCU showcase at the Washington Commanders facility. The 6-5, 306-pound prospect dominated the athletic testing, logging a 4.66-second 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical jump and a 10-10 broad jump despite his massive frame.
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The freakish athleticism Bernard displayed earned him praise from talent evaluators and comparisons to San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.
"It's like watching (Victor Wembanyama)," quarterback coach George Whitfield, who saw Bernard work out, told Feldman. "The numbers don't even do him justice. He's 6-5, 310, and he's got 6 percent body fat on him. NBA players don't have 6 percent body fat on them."
Bernard's unofficial Relative Athletic Score (RAS) - which measures a prospect's athleticism relative to other players on a scale of 0 to 10 - is a perfect 10, which makes him one of the most athletic defensive tackle prospects in NFL history.
That has placed Bernard on the radar of NFL teams despite his lack of playing experience. The Athletic's Dane Brugler noted Bernard was one of two IPP players mentioned to him following the showcase, along with Kenya's Joshua Weru, while NFL Media's Steve Wyche spoke to a couple of NFL decision-makers about Bernard at the league's annual meeting.
"To say their interest was piqued is an understatement," Wyche wrote in a social media post.
Bernard isn't the only Nigerian-born player hoping to be selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Arizona State offensive tackle Max Iheanachor, who ranks 58th on USA TODAY Sports' latest big board, also hails from Nigeria.
A total of 40 Nigerian-born players have played in the NFL to date, according to Pro Football Reference. Ten saw action during the 2025 NFL season, and they are as follows:
- Edge Samson Ebukam
- Edge Kingsley Jonathan
- Edge Emmanuel Ogbah
- LB Amen Ogbongbemiga
- Edge David Ojabo
- DT Moro Ojomo
- DT David Onyemata
- DT Ruke Orhorhoro
- Edge Joseph Ossai
- Edge Princely Umanmielen
More: Nearly 700 NFL players have been born outside the US: See the data
NFL teams have signed 70 IPP athletes since the program's inception in 2017. Philadelphia Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata - a former rugby player and a seventh-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft - is the most notable player the program has thus far produced.
Bernard will be hoping he can be the next as he continues to rapidly acclimate himself to the game.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Uar Bernard? What to know about Nigerian NFL Draft prospect