Who is Uar Bernard? Meet NFL Draft prospect from Africa making waves for DK Metcalf comparisons

Six percent. That's how much body fat defensive tackle prospect Uar Bernard has heading into the NFL Draft. The Nigerian has quickly become one of the most intriguing prospects and has already stood out to some teams' scouts.

Bernard hasn't been around the game of football for as long as many of the other draft talents, but his measures are too intriguing not to wonder about. He ran a 4.66 40-yard dash as a 306-pounder. Remember, 6% body fat. 

Along with that, he has a 39-inch vertical jump and a 10'10" broad jump. He stands at 6-foot-4, but his presence may loom larger to teams to teams in need of D-line help. 

Here's a rundown on Bernard, his background, and how he ranked at his International Pathway Pro Day.

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Who is Uar Bernard?

Bernard is one of the most intriguing prospects heading into this year's NFL Draft, with some around the league saying he is the most interesting prospect of all time. The defensive tackle prospect is just 6% body fat and had an incredible International Player Pathway Pro Day. 

He is from a small village just outside of Abuja, Nigeria, and had never played an organized game of football.

According to The Athletic, Bernard wanted to go into real estate until a basketball coach saw the way he moved and told him that he should give American football a try. According to NFL Combine trainer Jordan Luallen, Bernard is one of the best athletes he's ever seen.

“Hands down, he is the most explosive athlete I’ve ever seen in my life,” Luallen told The Athletic. “He broad jumped 10-10, and it was effortless. At 306 pounds. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

George Whitfield, a quarterbacks coach who was leading offensive positional drills at the HBCU showcase, compared Bernard to NBA star Victor Wembanyama. "It’s like watching (Victor Wembanyama)," Whitfield said. "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."

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Did Uar Bernard play college football?

No, Bernard did not play football at a collegiate level. The Nigerian defensive tackle prospect for the 2026 NFL draft was discovered through the NFL's International Player Pathway program.

He was previously a basketball player and had no organized football experience before joining the IPP and training in Florida before the Pathway Pro Day.

Where is Uar Bernard from?

Bernard was born in a small village outside of Abuja, Nigeria. He was invited to the 2024 NFL Nigeria camp and the NFL Africa camp in Cairo the following year.

Eventually, Bernard would join the International Player Pathway in 2025. He then competed in the International Player Pathway Pro Day ahead of this year's draft.

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Uar Bernard combine stats

Bernard performed exceptionally well at this year's NFL Combine. The Nigerian had elite ranks across the board, and most likely boosted his draft stock. Here are his statistics measured at the combine:

Uar Bernard’s RAS score is insane. With numbers like this, I’d be shocked if he isn’t selected in the 2026 NFL Draft https://t.co/wvf0YSDfuX pic.twitter.com/jDjTrJGtKY

Uar Bernard draft projection

Despite the viral moments on social media, Bernard is not likely to be taken during the first two days of this year's NFL Draft. The recent chatter has certainly helped his case in being drafted, but Bernard will like be a late-round pick.

Any team that were to select Bernard would be getting an extremely athletic individual at the minimum. His combine measures were nothing short of insane, and the hype surrounding him may warrant that. However, teams may be scared off by the fact that he hasn't been around the game of football for as long as other draft prospects.

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