Jordan Davis Gives Insight Into Development Of Eagles Rookie Uar Bernard

The Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle is not only imparting advice to the team's seventh-round pick, but also learning from the situation, too.

Eagles rookie Uar Bernard puts work in during Eagles OTA practice on May 27, 2026. | John McMullen/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – Uar Bernard is a curiosity right now, and at 6-4, 305 pounds with a minuscule amount of body fat, a very large one at that. So, his development from never having played football into what he and the Eagles hope will become an NFL star, or at the very least, a very productive defensive lineman, is under a microscope in these early days of OTAs.

“When I started playing football in tenth grade, it was hard enough, and I can just only imagine at his point in his career and coming into the highest level and learning the NFL,” said Eagles defensive tackle Jordan Davis. “Aside from that, day by day, he gets better. We all know it’s not gonna happen overnight, but just seeing his progression, just seeing him working, just understanding the type of humility that kid has, it’s just amazing to work with him. I’m excited to work with him each day.”

Defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said a week ago that patience will be a virtue for Bernard, with the team having t be patient with Bernard and Bernad having to be patient with his progress.

Rome wasn’t built in a day, as the expression goes. The Italian city evolved over thousands of years. Bernard doesn’t have that kind of time, obviously. The Eagles' rookie, whose age is either 21 or 22, was drafted in the seventh round – a flyer along the lines of Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata in the 2018 draft – and will be given time to figure out this new job of his, but how much time he will need remains to be seen.

Uar Bernard's Progress Uner Microscope At Moment

Eagles rookie Uar Berbard at OTA practice on May 27, 2026. | John McMullen/Eagles on SI

He’s on the clock now, with a few more OTAs, a minicamp, then training camp in July and August. Right now, he is on a roster exemption, meaning he doesn’t count toward the 90-man roster.

Bernard has something else to adjust to, and that is the language. He spoke via Zoom on draft night, after the Eagles plucked him in the seventh round, but his English, like his game, is still a work in progress, and he hasn’t been made available to talk again. That will change. So, will his game.

That is something Mailata did not have to deal with coming from Australia. Where he had players Jason Peters and Lane Johnson to learn from, along with offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, Bernard will have Moro Ojomo, who is also from Nigeria, and players such as Davis and Jalen Carter, along with defensive line coach Clint Hurtt.

Help From Clint Hurtt

“I think coach Hurtt is just really excited to work with him, because it’s a chance for him to learn a new sport, for him to get better, for him to help his family, it’s all the reasons off the field we’re doing it for,” said Davis. “You can talk to Uar, he has is why and understanding his why is a lot deeper than just Xs and Os. I think that’s one thing coach Hurtt as well as myself and everybody else in that room that we understand fully, when we know each other’s why, when we know what we’re playing for, what drives us each day, that’s something you can lean on when things get hard.”

Davis knows better than most that the road to success isn’t always straight and smooth. It took him a couple of years to become the player the Eagles were comfortable giving a three-year, $78 million contract extension, with $65 million guaranteed, in March, a deal that is expected to keep him in Philly through 2029.

“I tell Uar sometimes like, ‘Hey, I still get tripped up on this; my footwork is still sloppy on this,’” said Davis. “I can always get better with that. Having him makes you want to do you reps perfectly so you can set a good example.

“Football’s gonna get hard. It’s gonna get hard during the season. I’m sure Uar will get to the point during the season where’s he like, ‘Man, we got 16 more weeks of this thing?’ and I’m like yeah, it’s gonna happen, but just seeing him work, just seeing him, even when he messes up, and he’s gonna mess up, we’re all bound to mess up, he gets right back to it.

“It’s the same drive, it’s the same hunger, and I think you know, Xs and Os aside, that’s somebody you’re willing to work with, that you’re willing to help. I’m learning things along with him that I wasn’t expecting to learn when Uar came through. So, it’s really cool just to go through that process.”