Colts to Interview International Sensation With Jaw-Dropping Numbers

Bernard is one of 13 players in NFL's International Player Pathway program for 2026. Bernard joined the program in mid-January, measuring in at 295 pounds with a 32-inch vertical leap and a 9-foot-4-inch broad jump.

Less than three months later, Bernard had added 11 pounds, increased his vertical leap by 7 inches, and increased his broad jump by 1.5 feet. His 6% body fat at 306 pounds is quite literally unheard of.

"It's like watching (Victor Wembanyama)," quarterback coach George Whitfield told The Athletic's Bruce 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 trainer, Jordan Luallen, said that Bernard is "the most explosive athlete I’ve ever seen in my life". It's easy to see why, because there has never been a defensive tackle prospect to post numbers like Bernard's.

Had he participated in this year's combine, Bernard would have led all defensive tackles in the 40-yard dash, vertical leap, and broad jump. He would have ranked second in the bench press with 31 reps.

His broad jump exceeded that of combine defensive tackles by over a foot, underscoring just how unusual his lower-body explosiveness is for a player of his build.

Ballard Loves to Bet on Athleticism

Since taking over as general manager in 2017, Chris Ballard has led the Colts through nine drafts. One commonality across every draft is that Ballard loves to take a chance on players with athletic traits, even if they didn't produce at the collegiate level.

Bernard, of course, has never played football. His game IQ still needs to be developed, which means most front offices will be wary of using draft capital on a player like him.

That developmental curve is precisely why teams like the Colts are doing their homework. Pre-draft meetings and evaluations are less about what Bernard currently is and more about what he could become. The IPP program was designed to uncover exactly this kind of global talent—athletes with elite traits who simply lacked exposure to the American football pyramid.

The Colts currently have one IPP player on their roster in offensive tackle Bayron Matos. Matos has never played a snap, but he's someone who made it to the league after growing up playing basketball in the Dominican Republic.

Indy has already addressed defensive tackle in free agency, but most of their guys are on expiring contracts. The best time to plan for the future is right now, so it wouldn't be shocking to see Indy use a draft pick on a developmental piece like Bernard, who can learn behind some of the game's best in DeForest Buckner and Grover Stewart.