Why Joshua Weru Is Still 'Light Years Away' From Helping Eagles

From Kenya to England to Philly, Weru is learning how to play outside linebacker with help from a teammate.

Joshua Wehru takes the field at Eagles training camp as he tries to make the transition from rugby to football. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – Vic Fangio is done talking about the two Eagles from the African continent. At least for now. As they develop, if they ever get to the point where they can be contributing pieces on his defense, he will. Right now, no.

“It's going to take a long while,” said the Eagles’ defensive coordinator. “You guys can get off that topic, they're light-years away.”

The topic? Uar Bernard and Joshua Weru.

Bernard is from Nigeria; Weru from Kenya. The two countries are not close, with Kenya on the east coast and Nigeria on the west coast, with a driving distance of 3,290 miles separating them.

They are in Philly now, trying to be football players. Weru was a rugby player. Bernard played basketball.

They got to know one another in October when they both turned up at the Loughborough Combine at Loughborough University in England to try to earn the right to be picked for the NFL’s International Pathway Program. They were, and they both landed in Philly after the draft.

Bernard has talked to reporters already.  Day 10 of training camp on Tuesday was Wehru’s first time in front of a phalanx of reporters and TV cameras.

So, Philly, meet Weru. Wehru meet Philly.

It’s a relationship that will take time to build and Wehru and Bernard are building it together.

“I knew he was a crazy athlete from that time (in England), so seeing how he’s developed and I’m sure him seeing how I’ve developed has been crazy,” said Wehru about Bernard. “And then also just having someone in the locker room who you know is going through the same things that you’re going through is just good to have.”

Jalyx Hunt In Joshua Weru's Corner

Eagles Joshua Wehru met with reporters for the first time on Aug. 11, 2026, after being signed via the NFL's International Pathway Program after the draft ended in April. | Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Weru, who is 22, has Jalyx Hunt in his corner, and that’s a good thing since Hunt is an outside linebacker, the position that Weru is learning to play. In Fangio’s scheme, that means he must learn how to rush the passer and cover when called on.

“That’s my guy,” said Hunt. “Josh is so cool. He’s really accepted his role as the guy who doesn’t know how to play football yet. He’s learning each day because this is his first time playing. So, it’s been real cool to be able to explain things that I might have learned when I started out earlier because he’s never been in these situations to know what it is, or what it’s not supposed to look like, or what you’re not supposed to be – like unspoken football rules, things like that.

“To be able to explain that has been cool. And he’s so humble, he’s confident in his abilities regardless of him not knowing the right moves to make all of the time. You can tell his effort and his detail and his want-to is always there … I really admire how he’s approaching it.”

Weru was attracted to football when he was 16 while attending boarding school in England and playing rugby. One of his favorite rugby players was Christian Wade, who was ultimately signed by the Buffalo Bills through the IPP.

“It was crazy because he played in the preseason and scored a touchdown, I think on his first or second drive, so I kind of watched that story and always knew I was athletic,” he said. “I kind of had it in the back of my mind, but I had rugby as an option.”

Weru and Bernard may see some playing time on Saturday night when the Eagles open the preseason against the Baltimore Ravens, though Fangio is being cautious with them.

“It's hard because there's a health part of that, too, where you don't want them in there against, say, your number one offense or even with your number one defense because you're never quite sure what's going to happen,” said the DC.

Weru is being patient.

“I just feel really supported because I’ve talked to some other guys who I mean I’ve gone through the program with and just hearing stories about how training camp is for rookies for people who maybe aren’t in the first and second team and I’ve been lucky to get so many reps,” he said.

“And every rep I get, the more I see; I feel like the better I’m getting. So, I've been given that opportunity to actually develop, which I feel like many other places wouldn’t give me that opportunity.”