Eagles Take a Chance on Unique NFL Draft Prospect

The Philadelphia Eagles have made an intriguing choice in the 2026 NFL Draft, selecting Hual Bernardo, a Nigerian defensive tackle, in the seventh round with the 251st pick—the second-to-last in the draft.

Bernardo, who has never played soccer before, presents an impressive raw athleticism that the team hopes to develop. At just 21 years old, he hails from a small Nigerian village and is part of the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. This program previously helped launch the career of Eagles offensive tackle Jordan Mailata, who was also a seventh-round pick in 2018 and has since become a second-team All-Pro.

During the draft in Pittsburgh, Bernardo celebrated his selection on stage, crediting former Giants player Osi Umenyiora for teaching him the game. “This is a dream come true for me because I’ve worked so hard for this,” he expressed. “I had never played football before, but I went through some practices that made me believe that I was going to get better every day. I thank God for everything, for my life, and for this opportunity.”

Measuring at 6-foot-4.5 and weighing 306 pounds, Bernardo began training with Jordan Luallen in January, initially weighing 295 pounds with 11% body fat. His progress has been remarkable—he showcased a 39-inch vertical jump and a 10-foot-10 broad jump at the recent HBCU Showcase, decreasing his body fat to 6%. He also clocked a 4.63 in the 40-yard dash.

“Without a doubt, he’s the most explosive athlete I’ve ever seen in my life,” Luallen remarked, indicating that Bernardo performed exceptionally well in various tasks. “He did the broad jump 10-for-10, and it was easy for him. At 306 pounds, I’ve never seen anything like it.”

Luallen noted that Bernardo has shown tremendous improvement in a short time. “He was very naturally gifted from the start, but he has improved tremendously in everything. He’s very flexible and more fluid now,” he observed.

Eagles GM Howie Roseman shared that the team invested a significant amount of time with Bernardo prior to the draft. “For us, it was a passion project,” he said, recognizing the unique circumstances surrounding Bernardo’s journey. “We spend a lot of time talking about things that are ‘out of the ordinary.’ That person’s case is certainly unusual.”