Uar Bernard, the NFL Draft’s most explosive prospect, grew up in a Nigerian village

Uar Bernard, a standout athlete from Nigeria, is drawing attention ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft after showcasing remarkable physical capabilities at the NFL’s HBCU showcase. Bernard, standing 6 feet 4.5 inches tall and weighing 306 pounds, demonstrated impressive athleticism with a 39-inch vertical jump and a 4.63-second 40-yard dash. Trained by Jordan Luallen, Bernard has shown significant improvement since beginning his training program, which included reducing his body fat from 11 to 6 percent and increasing his vertical jump by 7 inches.

Bernard is part of the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) program, which aims to integrate international athletes into American football. Skyler Fulton, head of the IPP program, anticipates that Bernard and fellow IPP participant Josh Weru will be selected in the later rounds of the draft. Bernard, whose journey began in a small Nigerian village, was inspired to pursue American football after initially playing basketball.