Eagles Use Final Draft Pick On Uar Bernard Who Has Never Played Organized Football

The Philadelphia Eagles used their final draft pick of the 2026 NFL draft on a complete project player who has never played organized football in his life.

Uar Bernard did not expect to hear his name called on Saturday before the Eagles made his dream come true and announced his name with the 251st pick. Bernard is from a small town in Nigeria and was drafted to be a defensive tackle.

“It’s a dream come true for me, because I’ve worked hard for this. I’ve not played football, but I’ve gone through some drills that made me believe that I’m going to get better every day,” Bernard said in his first press conference after being drafted.

“I thank God for everything. I thank God for life. I thank God for the opportunities given to me to be drafted by the Eagles.”

Bernard is a physical specimen, standing at 6’4 and weighing 306 pounds with just 6% body fat. He ran a very impressive 4.63 40-yard dash and a 39-inch vertical, which is remarkable considering his stature.

He was first introduced to football by former New York Giants defensive end Osi Umenyiora and got invited to the NFL Nigeria Camp in 2024.

Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan called it a “smart pick,” adding that Eagles general manager Howie Roseman “very rarely misses.”