Uar Bernard stepped onto the practice field at the NovaCare Complex wearing a Philadelphia Eagles helmet for the very first time, facing a daunting climb as an NFL draft pick who had never played a down of organized football. The Philadelphia Eagles selected the 25-year-old defensive tackle out of a Nigerian village with the No. 251 overall pick in the seventh round of the NFL draft, gambling on athletic traits discovered through the NFL International Player Pathway program.
From Nigerian Village to NovaCare Complex
During the opening session of rookie minicamp, Bernard’s introduction to professional football started with the absolute basics. According to reports from the NovaCare Complex, the 6-foot-4, 306-pound lineman needed assistance from a teammate trying out from Lehigh University just to latch his helmet chinstrap before running through his first-ever defensive line drills. Eagles coach Nick Sirianni acknowledged the steep learning curve facing the rookie following practice.
A Steep Learning Curve Under the Microscope
“I was over there with him in drills today, and it’s all new to him — he hasn’t played football before,” Sirianni told reporters. “I don’t know if there’s been an ‘aha’ moment … but everything is new to him — from putting on your helmet to however that is, and the drills and the getting in a stance and being in a huddle. That is all new to him.”
Despite his complete lack of football background, Bernard’s athletic testing during the International Player Pathway workouts generated intrigue. His testing profile even drew comparisons on the NFL Draft broadcast to NFL star Myles Garrett. Once his helmet was secured during minicamp, Bernard crouched into a three-point stance, swatted away a tackling dummy, swiped at a football, and chased loose balls under the watchful eye of defensive line coach Clint Hurtt.
Following the Blueprint of Jordan Mailata
Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman observed the drills closely from the sidelines. The front office’s willingness to invest a draft pick in an unproven international prospect stems from their experience with Jordan Mailata. In 2018, Philadelphia used a seventh-round selection on Mailata, a rugby player from Australia. Mailata eventually developed into one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL, though he did not take a regular-season snap until his third season.
The franchise intends to afford Bernard a patient approach. Sirianni emphasized that the coaching staff treats rookies like Bernard at phase one of fundamentals, noting that even players with college coaches often require retraining in tackling and ball security techniques tailored to the organization’s standards.
Embracing the Journey Ahead
“Excited to have him here, really excited about that,” Sirianni said. “And you talk about being able to develop habits and things like that, there are things that are brand new to them. That’s an exciting thing.”
Following his selection, Bernard expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “It’s a dream come true for me,” Bernard told reporters six days before minicamp. “I worked hard for this. I’ve never played football before, but I’ve gone through some drills and it made me believe I’m going to get better every day. I appreciate — I’m thankful for everything, thankful for life, thankful for the opportunity that’s been given to me to be drafted by the Eagles.”
Building Familiarity in the Locker Room
Bernard is not navigating the transition alone. The Eagles also signed Kenyan rugby player Joshua Weru as an undrafted rookie edge rusher. Weru trained alongside Bernard during the International Player Pathway Program, giving the two prospects a shared resource as they learn football. Additionally, fourth-year defensive tackle Moro Ojomo, who was born in Lagos, provides another Nigerian-born presence in the Philadelphia locker room.
Though his football education remains in its infancy, Bernard immediately looked the part on the field. Donning jersey No. 93 — previously worn in a game by defensive tackle Milton Williams, who signed a $104 million contract with the New England Patriots — Bernard filled out the uniform with the physical stature typical of an NFL defensive lineman.
As the Eagles progress through their offseason program, Bernard will continue working alongside position coaches at the NovaCare Complex to build fundamental football habits ahead of training camp.
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