Even though Day 3 prospects in the NFL draft don’t usually get much attention, defensive tackle Uar Bernard is becoming one of the most intriguing players scouts are tracking in this year’s class.

Per The Athletic’s Bruce Feldman, Bernard is from Nigeria and a product of the NFL’s international pathway program who has drawn comparisons to Victor Wembanyama from the coach who led offensive positional drills at the HBCU showcase that Bernard participated in.

“It’s like watching (Victor Wembanyama),” quarterback coach George Whitfield told Feldman. “The numbers don’t even do him justice. He’s 6-5, 310, and he’s got 6 percent body fat on him. NBA players don’t have 6 percent body fat on them.”

Feldman and Dane Brugler, also of The Athletic, both mentioned Bernard as someone NFL teams have monitored as a potential draft pick.

NFL Network’s Steve Wyche, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein and Mark Dulgerian, an international scout for the league, also hyped up the 21-year-old.

The athletic testing numbers for Bernard are remarkable, with elite marks in composite speed, explosiveness and “only” a great grade in composite size.

Feldman noted that Bernard started with the NFL international pathway program on Jan. 18.

“He came in at 295 pounds with 11 percent body fat,” Feldman wrote. “He vertical-jumped 32 inches and broad-jumped 9-4. To see the improvement in the 10 weeks of training is unlike anything (NFL trainer Jordan) Luallen has experienced.”

The NFL established the pathway program in 2017 to identify talent from around the world and get them into a training regimen to see if they can hone those skills to make it in the league.

Bernard is one of the 13 members of the program’s 2026 class, with Nigeria having five representatives.

There have been a total of 70 players signed to NFL teams through the pathway program over the previous eight years, with 22 currently on active rosters.

Philadelphia Eagles left tackle Jordan Mailata is the most successful alum from the program. He was a seventh-round draft pick in 2018, became a starter two years later and was named to the All-Pro second team in 2024 to help the Eagles win the Super Bowl.