One international prospect who has never played a snap of college football is suddenly drawing serious NFL attention. And he could turn into the next long-term project for Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs as they quietly track his rise.
According to NFL and college football analyst Ryan Fowler, the Chiefs are one of eight teams keeping tabs on Nigerian defensive lineman Uar Bernard.
“The Chiefs have used the NFL’s International Player Pathway program to their advantage before, and they may have just found their next target,” AZ Sports’ Charles Goldman wrote on X, adding context to that buzz.
The IPP program helps international athletes earn NFL spots, with a roster exemption that lets teams develop players like Bernard without using a regular slot.
But things are starting to get exciting as the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos have set up pre-draft visits, which adds some early pressure on everyone else. Interest is also coming from teams with a history of developing raw talent, like the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers, making this a busy race.
It’s pretty amazing how fast Bernard’s journey has taken off. Just 11 weeks ago, he had never played football, but he participated in the HBCU showcase through the NFL’s IPP program. His performance there changed everything almost instantly.
He jumped 39 inches high, sprinted the 40-yard dash in 4.63 seconds, and leaped 10 feet 10 inches in the broad jump. Interestingly, that broad jump would have been the best among all defensive tackles at this year’s NFL Scouting Combine. His performances probed the Athletic’s Bruce Feldman to call him the biggest “freak athlete” of the 2026 class in his X post.
The Chiefs have used the NFL’s International Player Pathway program to their advantage before, and they may have just found their next target. https://t.co/6FHQogrpS1 pic.twitter.com/MFbNLStToa
— Charles Goldman (@goldmctNFL) April 6, 2026
Thanks to these impressive stats, scouts are already considering him a potential Day 3 pick, even with his limited experience.
Interestingly, the Chiefs have used the IPP program before to pick players, and they understand how important patience can be.
Andy Reid already used the NFL’s International Player Pathway program
A recent example of the team’s success with the IPP is Chukwuebuka ‘Chu’ Godrick, who joined the team through the IPP after the 2023 NFL Draft and has been with them ever since.
Additionally, the player from Lagos has been steadily growing in the system for a few years now. He spent time on the practice squad thanks to the IPP exemption, allowing the Chiefs to work on his skills. This patience paid off in 2025 when he played in four games and even started three times at right tackle for the Chiefs.
Chiefs Kingdom will likely remember another recent international experiment in Louis Rees-Zammit. Andy Reid had utilized the IPP program to sign the famous Welsh rugby player in the 2024 offseason. Rees-Zammit wanted to make a switch through the IPP, especially since the league’s new kickoff rules opened up opportunities. Unfortunately, his attempt to break into the NFL didn’t stick, and he eventually returned to rugby.
Bernard is exactly the type of raw, high-upside athlete the Chiefs have shown a willingness to develop. The question now is whether the Chiefs will make a move before a competitor snaps up the raw but promising prospect.
