These Elite Athletes Could Be NFL Draft Sleepers

Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

These Elite Athletes Could Be NFL Draft Sleepers

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Luke Easterling | Last updated Apr 3, 2026 6:58 PM ET

Every year, NFL scouts and decision-makers go to ever-increasing lengths to find talent and potential, and the 2026 NFL Draft process has been no exception.

While there are plenty of under-the-radar prospects who are sure to emerge from more conventional routes throughout the landscape of American college football, the NFL's International Pathway Program is also shining a light on potential sleepers who bring a ton of athleticism and upside to the table.

If you're looking for two names to add to your favorite team's deep-sleeper list, Joshua Weru and Uar Bernard are your guys.

Both Weru and Bernard have made the most of their opportunities to shine in front of league personnel during this year's predraft process, showing off elite athleticism at recent workouts that's sure to create plenty of buzz:

There were 2 prospects from the International Program that NFL teams mentioned to me:

EDGE Joshua Weru (Kenya): 6040, 244, 33 1/4" arms, 4.45/1.59, 41" V, 11'2" BJ

DT Uar Bernard(Nigeria): 6045, 306, 35 3/4" arms, 4.66/1.60 (!!), 39" VJ, 10'10" BJ, 31 BP reps https://t.co/F2hxmouarb
— Dane Brugler (@dpbrugler) April 3, 2026

A Kenyan rugby player, Weru brings a rare combination of size and athleticism to the table as a potential edge rusher in the NFL. Bernard does the same, with the frame to be an interior defensive lineman.

This is Joshua Weru from Kenya, another remarkable athlete from the NFL’s IPP program who wowed folks at the HBCU showcase this week mentioned in my story about Uar. He’s 6-4, 244. He ran a 4.45 40 with a 41-inch vertical and an 11-2 broad jump: https://t.co/yQ95QoX1Se pic.twitter.com/xUZ5X0zj0J
— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) April 3, 2026

That athleticism and explosiveness is on full display when you watch Weru on the rugby pitch. Good luck tackling this guy when the ball's in his hands:

3,2,1... La fusée Joshua Weru est lancée pic.twitter.com/mVNW6ssYaf
— RugbyPass FR (@RugbyPass_FR) November 7, 2022

The NFL's IPP program has had success stories before, including Jordan Mailata, who has become a dominant left tackle for the Philadelphia Eagles.

NFL teams love to spend late-round picks on lottery-ticket players who bring a ton of upside to the table, but it's not a heavy investment if things don't work out. Playing football at the highest level requires far more than pure athleticism, and it's likely to take time for both of these draft hopefuls to develop into quality players on the gridiron.

That said, the building blocks are clearly there, and it won't be surprising if both of these players hear their names called at some point on Day 3 of this year's draft.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: