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Nigerian DT Uar Bernard turns heads before NFL Draft
Ethan Morrison / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nigerian DT Uar Bernard turns heads before NFL Draft

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports
By Matt Wadleigh  |  Last updated Apr 3, 2026 1:32 PM ET

The 2026 NFL Draft begins on April 23 and will take place in Pittsburgh, Pa.

Until then, players are doing what they can to gain attention from NFL scouts and talent evaluators at the NFL Scouting Combine and other events. However, one unknown star emerged at the HBCU Showcase recently: Defensive tackle Uar Bernard, who is from Nigeria.

Bernard is from a small village in Nigeria and is part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway this season. His performance and measurements at the HBCU Showcase turned plenty of heads.

As Bruce Feldman of The Athletic pointed out, Bernard is 6-4 1/2 and 306 pounds. He posted a vertical jump of 39 inches and a broad jump of 10-10, which is 14 inches more than any player at his position in the NFL Scouting Combine.

And, Bernard ran a 4.63 40-yard dash.

Jordan Luallen, who has been training Bernard ahead of the NFL Draft, was amazed at what the Nigerian DT did at the recent HBCU Showcase.

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

Bernard is 21 years old and played basketball before being advised to consider football, and now he is becoming a hot name ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Bernard could be a Day 3 pick, especially with the way he performed and measured at the recent HBCU Showcase.

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

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