Nigeria’s Uar Bernard Makes History As First African Pathway Player Drafted Into NFL

The Philadelphia Eagles, an American football franchise in the NFL, have drafted Nigeria’s Uar Bernard in the 2026 NFL Draft, marking a major milestone for the young athlete.

Uar Bernard, who is from Abuja, was picked 251st overall in the seventh round during the draft event held in Pittsburgh on Saturday night.

The 21-year-old, who was present at the venue when his name was announced, became the first Nigerian ever drafted into the NFL.

The defensive tackle earned his spot through the NFL International Player Pathway Program, making history as the first African to enter the league through this route.

Bernard did not start in American football. He previously played basketball and had no experience in the sport before beginning his journey.

His breakthrough came after attending an NFL camp in Nigeria in 2024, organised by Osi Umenyiora, a former NFL star with Nigerian roots.

He later moved on to the NFL Africa camp in Cairo in 2025, where he impressed enough to be selected for the International Player Pathway Class of 2026.

He then completed a 10-week training programme in Florida, which helped prepare him for the draft.

Speaking after being drafted, Uar Bernard described the moment as a dream come true, stressing that although he is new to the sport, the training he has received has given him confidence that he will continue to improve.

“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.

“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,” he said.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said the team sees potential in the 6ft 4in player who weighs 306 pounds., even though he is still developing.

Roseman added that Bernard will need time to grow into the game, but the team is willing to support that process.

“We wanted to take the chance on the kid. Obviously, we’ve had great success with that program. We spent a lot of time with him. You know, just for us, it was a passion project.

“Obviously, he’s got a lot of tools in his body. [We] understand it’s going to take time. It’s going to take a lot of time here,” he said.

Uar Bernard is expected to begin training with the team in May, with pre-season games scheduled for August, while the regular NFL season will kick off in September.

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