Eagles are again praised for their Uar Bernard acquisition

The Philadelphia Eagles have built a reputation around finding football players before everyone else realizes they matter. Sometimes those players arrive with enormous hype attached to their names. At other times, they quietly walk through the front door while fans immediately open a search engine in a second tab to try to figure out who exactly just signed with the team.

Enter Uar Bernard. The Eagles’ acquisition initially flew under the radar, but the move continues drawing praise from analysts and observers who believe Philadelphia may have uncovered another developmental defender perfectly suited for its system and culture. Defensive line coach Clint Hurtt said he wanted to get his hands on him, and he'll get his wish. Philadelphia used its opportunity to assign him an international exemption, so he's safe during training camp and the preseason. All he has to do is focus on learning a position he has never played before.

Jason Kelce is already a fan. Recently, SI's Albert Breer threw his name in the hat as someone who would also be joining a growing fan club.

"I can’t wait to see what the Eagles do with Uar Bernard***.***If you’re not familiar, Google him. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a human being like him. The 21-year-old Nigerian is listed as 6' 5" and 306 pounds, and at his pro day, he ran a 4.63 40-yard dash, posted a 39-inch vertical and broad-jumped 10' 10". And when I say Google him, I’m not referencing those numbers. Click on the images tab and I’m telling you, you’ll be stunned that a 306-pounder can look like that."

Truthfully, the move feels incredibly 'Eagles.' Philadelphia has long valued toughness, versatility, physicality, and players willing to embrace ugly work between the whistles. Bernard appears to check several of those boxes immediately.

He may not arrive with first-round expectations or superstar pressure, but there’s growing belief that he possesses the type of mentality defensive coaches love building around. What makes Bernard intriguing is his physique. He is built like an All-Pro defender. The questions are about whether or not he can grow to play like an NFL defender. Coach Hurtt doesn't seem worried. That should be good enough for the rest of us. At this point, doubting the Eagles when they identify developmental talent almost feels irresponsible. This organization has repeatedly found contributors in unexpected places. There's a chance that they may have done so again. Philadelphia has developed a habit of turning “Who?” into “How did they find this guy?”

No one is suggesting Bernard is destined to become an immediate starter or future Pro Bowler. Still, when Philadelphia quietly targets a player others overlooked, history suggests it’s worth paying attention.

This article originally appeared on Eagles Wire: Eagles are again praised for their Uar Bernard acquisition