Eagles draft Jordan Mailata-style athletic wonder from International Player Pathway

The Philadelphia Eagles once again turned to the NFL’s International Player Pathway (IPP) pipeline, selecting Nigerian defensive tackle Uar Bernard with the No. 251 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2026 NFL Draft on Saturday evening. The move is reminiscent of the franchise’s 2018 gamble on Jordan Mailata, who developed from a rugby convert into an All-Pro left tackle and Super Bowl champion.

Bernard enters the league with one of the most extreme athletic profiles in this draft class. Measured between 6-foot-4 and 6-foot-5 and weighing 306 pounds, he carries just 6% body fat. His testing numbers are rare for a 300-pound player: a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, a 39-inch vertical jump, and a 10-foot-10 broad jump, all recorded during the IPP Pro Day and HBCU Showcase. He also possesses nearly 36-inch arms and 11-inch hands.

Impressive as the metrics are, Bernard has never played organized football. His path to the NFL began in Nigeria, where he grew up in a farming village and was first noticed for his athleticism while playing basketball. Over the course of three years, he attended multiple football camps in Africa, including one connected to former NFL defensive end Osi Umenyiora, before being selected into the 2026 IPP class. Interestingly, Bernard only began formal IPP training in January 2026, meaning he reached the NFL in just over four months of structured development.

The Eagles acquired the No. 251 pick as part of a trade with the Los Angeles Rams, turning a sixth-round selection into multiple late-round assets. With a roster already deep at defensive tackle, including Jordan Davis, Jalen Carter, and Moro Ojomo, Bernard is expected to be a long-term project. The IPP designation allows Philadelphia to carry Bernard without counting against the 90-man roster initially and potentially stash him on a 17th practice squad spot.

Development will be led by defensive line coach Clint Hurtt and player development assistant Matt Leo, himself a former IPP product. Like Mailata, who took three years to become a starter in 2020, Bernard’s timeline is measured in seasons, not weeks. The Eagles are effectively betting on another high-upside “lottery ticket,” backed entirely by unprecedented athletic data and a proven developmental system.

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