Nigerian with 'natural explosiveness' aiming for NFL spot

Uar Bernard, who hails from northern Nigeria, is hoping to be drafted by one of 32 NFL clubs later this month [NFL Africa]

In under a fortnight, Uar Bernard's life could change forever.

The Nigerian will travel to Pittsburgh with a handful of peers from the NFL's International Player Pathway (IPP) for this year's NFL Draft on 23-25 April.

The 21-year-old works part-time as a personal trainer to help support his family, but getting picked by an NFL team could lead to him earning an annual salary in excess of $2m.

It would be a long way from his days growing up with four sisters and three brothers in Unguwa Uku, a village of roughly 2,500 inhabitants in northern Nigeria.

What sets Bernard apart from the rest of this year's IPP group are his truly remarkable physical attributes.

"There are very few people globally with his combination of size, speed and natural explosiveness," NFL Africa's Osi Umenyiora told BBC Sport Africa.

"In terms of pure physical talent, Uar sits right near the top among the athletes we've assessed through the programme."

Bernard stands 6 foot 4 1/2 inches tall and weighs in at 138kg (21st 12lb) but recently completed the NFL's 40-yard (36.5m) dash in just 4.63 seconds.

He can vertically jump almost one metre high and his hand measurement (taken from the tip of the thumb to the tip of the little finger with the hand outstretched) is 11in (28cm) while his arm measurement (from the tip of his middle finger to the shoulder blade) is 35.8in (91cm).

One coach who trained Bernard during the 10-week IPP programme, which identifies global talent and gives those selected the opportunity to develop their American football skills, told The Athletic he is "the most explosive athlete" he has ever seen in his life.

Improving pathways in Africa

Osi Umenyiora (centre) won two Super Bowls with the New York Giants [NFL Africa]

What is impressive about Bernard's progress to date is that he did not play organised sports as young child, and only started in his mid-teens playing football and then, increasingly, basketball at school.

His sporting heroes growing up were Barcelona and Brazil forward Ronaldino and NBA stars Hakeem Olajuwon and Michael Jordan - and all three remain big inspirations for the NFL hopeful.

Bernard was first introduced to American football in 2023 when a coach of a team in Lagos State noticed his athleticism and encouraged him to attend a three-day training camp in Abuja.

"He saw my resilience, physical dominance, size and strength, and believed those qualities would translate really well to American football," Bernard told BBC Sport Africa.

"After that initial introduction, in 2024 I was invited to several camps in Nigeria, and then more in Egypt."

That is where Umenyiora, a two-time Super Bowl winner born in the United Kingdom to Nigerian parents, steps in.

In his role as lead ambassador for NFL Africa, which held its first events in Ghana in 2022, he works to identify talent from across the continent and develop it to join the IPP.

Umenyiora observed Bernard at some of those camps, and the young Nigerian was instructed to embark on a year of physical and technical preparation to move to the next level.

At a key NFL talent camp in Cairo last year, Bernard was selected for the IPP programme.

With American football still growing in Africa, exposure to the sport can be limited.

"The biggest challenge is access to proper training and infrastructure," Umenyiora, a former defensive end for the New York Giants, said.

"Many young athletes with exceptional natural ability simply don't have the facilities, resources, or structured pathways that are available elsewhere."

But, as NFL Africa expands its reach, Umenyiora confirms the organisation is seeing increased participation and clearer development routes, and is beginning to close the opportunity gap for young athletes.

Learning the ropes

Bernard's physical metrics improved over the 10-week IPP training programme [NFL Africa]

Bernard spent 10 weeks at the X3 Performance and Physical Therapy Centre in Fort Myers, Florida, training on the field and attending classes as part of the IPP.

"The biggest adjustment has been learning the fundamental techniques and the detailed basics of American football," he said.

"Everything was new at first, but my development has been progressing really smoothly."

He named defensive line as his "dream position", and he will now look to impress scouts from the 32 NFL teams ahead of the draft.

"I enjoy the intensity and the pressure we apply at the line of scrimmage," he explained.

"It allows me to use my physicality and explosiveness on every play."

Bernard has not forgotten his family during his time in Florida, and speaks to his mother every day. His father passed away when Bernard was 16.

If he is drafted later this month, he would join the 22 IPP athletes already on NFL rosters.

TJ Maguranyanga (Zimbabwe), Maz Mwansa (UK/Zambia), CJ Okoye (Nigeria) and Haggai Ndubuisi (Nigeria) are among the Africans who have progressed through the IPP and been drafted since the programme was established in 2017.

Although he only took up the sport three years ago, Bernard has big ambitions to emulate those who have gone before him.

"By 25, I hope to be known as one of the most improved and technically refined defensive linemen in the NFL, continuing to grow and make a real impact," he said.