Why the Falcons Should Draft This Unique Prospect from a Nigerian Village

Uar Bernard grew up in a village in Benue, Nigeria, and hasn’t played a down of organized football, but he may be one of the most intriguing prospects in the 2026 NFL Draft.

Over the past few months, he's been training with Sack House founder and pass-rush trainer Javon Gopie, who works with Pro Bowlers like Jared Verse and Nik Bonitto.

"The dude is a superhero.”Gopie told Falcons on SI. “He told me from day one that he was not going back to Nigeria."

A product of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program, the 21-year-old left scouts trying to make sense of what they had just seen at the IPP Pro Day.

With just 6% body fat, he looks more like a freakishly-built tight end or outside linebacker until you see he measured at 6-foot-4.5, 306 pounds with 36-inch arms, shifting from impressive to unheard of.

Things only got crazier from there, as several of his times and measurements would have shattered NFL Combine records at the position.

Bernard ran a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash at his pro day, which would have broken Calijah Kancey’s NFL Combine record of 4.67, a mark that previously surpassed future Hall of Famer Aaron Donald’s 4.68.

His 39-inch vertical jump would have also set a combine record at the position, and was over a foot — yes, a full foot — higher than any defensive tackle at this year’s combine.

Nigerian NFL draft prospect DT Uar Bernard just put up INSANE numbers at the HBCU showcase and is viewed as one of the most explosive athletes 💪 🇳🇬

◽️ Height: 6’4.5”
◽️ Weight: 306
◽️ Arms length: 35 3/4”
◽️ 40: 4.63
◽️ Vertical: 39”
◽️ Broad jump: 10’10”
◽️ Bench Reps: 31 pic.twitter.com/7RfGLOxlRh
— Football Forever (@fballforeverhq) April 3, 2026

Before formally entering the pre-draft workout process, he built his foundation by watching YouTube pass-rush tutorials and using tree trunks to simulate offensive tackles during drills.

"Preparation makes room for opportunity," Bernard told Falcons on SI. "I know I'll be a disruptive defensive tackle for any team that is willing to teach me more about football."

The Nigerian native has spent the past few months in Fort Myers, Florida, training at X3 Performance and The Sack House where he’s added 10 pounds and improved both his vertical and broad jump by more than half a foot.

With X3 Performance having worked with more than 75 NFL clients in recent years, director of NFL pre-draft operations Jordan Luallen has seen his share of elite athletes, but says he’s never encountered anyone like Bernard.

“Hands down, he is the most explosive athlete I’ve ever seen in my life,” Luallen told Bruce Feldman of The Athletic.

Why Should The Falcons Take A Chance On Him?

From a Nigerian village to one of the most eye-popping pro days in this class, Bernard’s rapid rise has scouts reevaluating. | Ethan Morrison / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

It'd be extremely optimistic to expect somebody who's never played the sport to promptly fill any type of valuable role, but Bernard's athletic potential hints at astronomical development down the line.

After all, he went from an unheralded prospect to reportedly garnering interest from multiple NFL teams within a week of his pro day, including visits with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos.

On top of having visits scheduled with the Broncos and Colts, as reported by @bylucaevans, the following teams have expressed legitimate interest in hosting IPP DL prospect Uar Bernard (Nigeria) for a visit, although not yet scheduled, per sources:

• 49ers
• Eagles
• Chiefs…
— Ryan Fowler (@_RyanFowler_) April 4, 2026

The lack of experience is understandably concerning, but the IPP program has produced success stories, with Jordan Mailata becoming an All-Pro and winning two Super Bowls, while players like Efe Obada and Jakob Johnson have started multiple games and carved out solid NFL careers.

After losing one of the league's highest-graded defensive linemen in David Onyemata, the Atlanta Falcons brought in a pair of veterans in Da'Shawn Hand and Chris Williams to help ease his departure.

While neither player is a long-term option, taking a risk on a player like Bernard wouldn’t come with the pressure of him needing to contribute immediately.

He may not satisfy any of Atlanta’s defensive needs in the near future, but the league has yet to see a defensive tackle with Bernard’s athletic profile, justifying a late-round gamble.