Philadelphia Eagles draft NFL novice Uar Bernard in historic selection
The Philadelphia Eagles have made NFL history by selecting Nigerian athlete Uar Bernard, a player with no prior American football experience, in the seventh round of the draft.
The 21-year-old was chosen as the 251st overall pick just four months after he began training for the sport.
Usually, franchises use the annual three-day event to select promising college prospects who possess a solid grounding in the game.
International Player Pathway success
The African prospect initially caught the attention of scouts while playing basketball and was subsequently invited to NFL camps on his home continent.
These specialised camps culminated in a coveted spot on the International Player Pathway programme.
During the programme’s Pro Day, the 6ft 4in prospect recorded a perfect 10.0 Relative Athlete Score to turn the heads of the Philadelphia scouting department.
Formidable physical attributes
Weighing 139 kilograms with only six percent body fat, the towering rookie possesses remarkable physical traits for the professional league.
He also demonstrated explosive athletic ability by running the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds and achieving a 39-inch vertical jump.
The two-time Super Bowl champions clearly believe their new recruit possesses immense promise despite his unconventional sporting background.
“We wanted to take the chance on [Bernard],” stated Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.
“We’ve had great success with that programme.”
Finding late-round value
Locating hidden gems late in the selection process is notoriously difficult, though legendary quarterback Tom Brady famously emerged from the 199th pick in 2000.
The NFC East franchise will now hope their bold investment in raw athletic power yields similar long-term rewards.
