Every year, before the NFL Draft, there are prospects who blow all 32 teams away with incredible workouts and athletic testing. Ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft, defensive line prospect Uar Bernard has become a bit of a viral sensation after posting some of the most ridiculous testing numbers you'll ever see.
At 6-foot-5, 306 pounds, Bernard ran a blazing 4.63-second 40-yard dash and posted a 39-inch vertical jump. He has 11-inch hands and nearly 36-inch arms. His 10'10" broad jump is otherworldly for a defensive line prospect. Athletically speaking, the only thing keeping him from breaking every barrier in the history books is his agility testing, but the explosiveness, power, strength, body composition, length, and overall makeup are in the "create-a-player" realm.
Bernard is testing as a defensive line prospect, but his best-case NFL player comparison might be offensive tackle Jordan Mailata of the Philadelphia Eagles. Let's dive into the reasons why.
2026 NFL Draft prospect Uar Bernard could be the defensive version of Jordan Mailata
Instead of trying to compare Uar Bernard to a player on the defensive line at the NFL level, what about comparing him to someone who had a pretty remarkably similar situation before getting to the NFL? Jordan Mailata was an intriguing prospect who similarly burst onto the scene before the 2018 NFL Draft as a rugby player who was picking up football from scratch.
He showed off his incredible size and athleticism at 6-foot-8, 345 pounds, and NFL teams were obviously intrigued by his potential. But it takes more than just teams intrigued by potential to turn this kind of project into a future starter. It takes patience and a willingness to invest in player development.
Uar Bernard needs to get put in the right situation to truly thrive at the next level, just like Mailata did when he was with the Eagles. And even though the Eagles spent a 7th-round pick on Mailata in the 2018 NFL Draft, he didn't play any games until the 2020 season.
Talk about a challenging time to burst into the NFL, too...
The Eagles' patience with Mailata paid off in a big way. Not only did he develop into someone who could play or contribute at the NFL level, but he's developed into a high-end, full-time starter at one of the league's most pivotal positions.
There's no reason to put the cart before the horse with Bernard, but the situation is very similar. At just 21 years old, he's worth the investment for a team to throw a late-round draft choice at his talent. Even if it takes him two years to develop, he'll still be younger than a lot of rookies these days if he doesn't see a regular season game until 2028.
You just don't see guys over 300 pounds on the defensive front who have nearly 36-inch arms and the ability to throw up 31 bench press reps at 225 pounds. Physically speaking, Bernard could at least cause havoc if you just told him to go out there, line up against a guard or tackle, and go get the quarterback.
The physical presence he can bring is undeniable.
The question at this point is whether or not Bernard can play football. He's been training in the NFL International Pathway program since 2024, so it's not like he's truly starting from scratch. But the jump is going to take time. And the fact that he won't count against a 90-man roster as an international player makes him even more intriguing.
But the fact that the Eagles made it work with Mailata is going to breathe some life into the chances of Bernard being a hit at the next level, only on the defensive side of the ball.