{"id":853769,"date":"2026-04-04T18:59:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/853769\/"},"modified":"2026-04-04T18:59:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-04T18:59:19","slug":"broncos-make-pre-draft-plans-with-viral-sensation-uar-bernard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/853769\/","title":{"rendered":"Broncos Make Pre-Draft Plans With Viral Sensation Uar Bernard"},"content":{"rendered":"

\t\t\t\t\"Sean\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tGetty\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton looks on before a game against the Cincinnati Bengals.<\/p>\n

Sean Payton<\/a>, Vance Joseph<\/a>, and the Denver Broncos<\/a> want a closer look at the latest viral sensation ahead of the 2026 draft, a prospect named Uar Bernard<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Bernard, a native of Nigeria, drew increased attention last week. The defensive lineman is the kind of physical specimen that typically makes waves at this point of the calendar due to impressive workouts.<\/p>\n

The Broncos have certainly taken notice.<\/p>\n

Broncos Show Interest in Viral Sensation Uar Bernard\"Vance<\/p>\n

GettyHead coach Vance Joseph of the Denver Broncos looks on against the Oakland Raiders<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201c#Broncos are hosting Uar Bernard, defensive lineman from Nigeria who went viral this week, on a top-30 visit next week, his trainer Javon Gopie told @denverpost,\u201d The Denver Post\u2019s Luca Evans reported<\/a> in a post on X on April 4. \u201cHe\u2019ll visit with #Colts<\/a> before that.<\/p>\n

\u201c6-4 1\/2, 306 pounds, body fat 6%, ran 40 in 4.63 seconds. 39-inch vert. Unreal.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Athletic\u2019s Bruce Feldman, author of the annual \u201cFreaks List,\u201d called Bernard<\/a> \u201cthe biggest freak athlete\u201d of the 2026 class in a post on X on April 3.<\/p>\n

Per Feldman<\/a> in an article on April 3, veteran quarterback coach George Whitfield compared Bernard to NBA<\/a> phenom Victor Wembanyama, saying the \u201cnumbers don\u2019t do him justice,\u201d and that \u201cNBA players don\u2019t have 6 percent body fat on them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trainer Jordan Luallen told Feldman that Bernard is unlike anyone he has seen before.<\/p>\n

\u201cHands down, he is the most explosive athlete I\u2019ve ever seen in my life,\u201d Luallen said, per Feldman. \u201cI\u2019ve never seen anything like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Uar Bernard Name-Drops Aaron Donald\"Aaron<\/p>\n

GettyAaron Donald #99 of the Los Angeles Rams<\/a> reacts against the Arizona Cardinals.<\/p>\n

Bernard has impressed the head of the NFL\u2019s International Pathway Program<\/a>, Skyler Fulton, who noted how \u201ccrazy\u201d it has been to see the prospect progress while projecting a Day 3 slot in the draft.<\/p>\n

Bernard said that his \u201cfootball role models are Aaron Donald<\/a> and Myles Garrett<\/a>,\u201d per Feldman.<\/p>\n

However, there is a significant hurdle to overcome\u2013inexperience\u2013with no organized football in his background.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the body % fat bros arguing about how shredded this prospect is, I don\u2019t care,\u201d NFL.com\u2019s Lance Zierlein posted<\/a> on X on April 3 in reaction to Feldman\u2019s post on Bernard. \u201cHis body type, testing and overall measurables are extraordinarily rare. Doesn\u2019t make him a football player right now, but he is freaky.\u201d<\/p>\n

Bernard\u2019s predictive and raw athleticism scores rank first in the 2026 class, per Next Gen Stats<\/a>. He picked up parts of the game of football by watching videos on YouTube and has trained others when not training himself.<\/p>\n

Broncos Boast Depth Along D-Line\"Sai'vion<\/p>\n

GettySai\u2019vion Jones #95 of the Denver Broncos drives against Jeremiah Byers #67 of the Arizona Cardinals.<\/p>\n

The Broncos must replace starting defensive lineman John Franklin-Myers<\/a>. Franklin-Myers signed with the Tennessee Titans<\/a> in free agency.<\/p>\n

The Broncos have several options on hand to replace him. Veteran Malcom Roach<\/a> is a logical option to start next to Zach Allen<\/a>. Recent draft picks Sai\u2019vion Jones<\/a> (2025) and Eyioma Uwazurike<\/a> (2022) are already in the pipeline for the Broncos, too.<\/p>\n

But international players can be signed via an exemption.<\/p>\n

\u201cEach NFL club is permitted one roster exemption for a qualifying international player from the start of the club\u2019s offseason program through the roster reduction to 53 players,\u201d the NFL wrote<\/a> in December 2015. \u201cAt that time, qualifying international players are eligible to be signed to a 17th practice squad roster spot reserved for international athletes across any of the 32 teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

That means the Broncos could target Bernard as a developmental project in the draft or as a priority free agent, and still flesh out their roster as needed.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\tJosh Buckhalter<\/a> covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. He has covered both leagues since 2016, including bylines at FanSided, Last Word on Sports and Clocker Sports. He’s based in Villa Park, Illinois. Follow Josh on Twitter and Instagram: @JoshGBuck More about Josh Buckhalter<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n

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