Back in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles took a low-risk gamble that paid off in a big way. They picked Jordan Mailata in the seventh round—a former Australian rugby player who had never played a down of American football. With his rare 6'8", 365-pound frame, the Eagles trusted their ability to develop raw talent. Eight years later, Mailata is one of the NFL's top offensive tackles.

Now, the Eagles are hoping to strike gold again. Their 2026 international draftee, Uar Bernard, has entered the scene through the NFL's International Player Pathway program. At 6'4" and 306 pounds, he's a mystery prospect with jaw-dropping athleticism. Bernard recorded a 39-inch vertical, a 10'10" broad jump, a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, and 31 bench press reps. NFL analysts have even called him a "freak athlete" and compared him to superstar Myles Garrett.

But former Eagles center Jason Kelce isn't ready to crown him just yet. "There's a lot on this kid's shoulders because of what happened with Jordan Mailata, right?" Kelce said on a recent episode of the New Heights podcast. "To get a guy with this much physical talent in the seventh round is incredible. But he's never played the game. There's a level of stiffness, the change of direction, and the agility that he's going to have to develop."

Kelce broke down exactly what Bernard needs to prove to follow Mailata's path. "If he can learn to play with great pad level, work on changing direction more efficiently, and use his hands, if this all pans out, you could have an incredibly high player with a high ceiling. Those are a lot of ifs."

Bernard's rookie minicamp performance has already drawn mixed reactions. He needed help putting on his helmet, yet he burst out of his stance quickly during drills. The Eagles know they're taking a chance here. General Manager Howie Roseman admitted that Bernard's growth will "take a lot of time." For now, that's the reality for both the rookie and the team—a high-risk, high-reward project that could shape Philadelphia's offensive line for years to come.