The Washington Commanders had a mission to get “younger and faster” this offseason. After a month of free agency, Washington GM Adam Peters has done a good job of making the Commanders younger and faster — specifically on defense.
Now, Washington’s attention turns to the 2026 NFL Draft, in which it holds the No. 7 overall pick.
Advertisement
So, while Peters has done traditional scouting for free agency and the NFL draft, he’s also spent time evaluating international prospects from the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program. Washington has signed multiple players from the program before, and currently has defensive end T.J. Maguranyanga on the roster. Maguranyanga is a 6-foot-4, 222-pound edge rusher from Zimbabwe. He initially signed with the Commanders in December 2024 and has spent most of his time on the practice squad. However, he did appear in one game last season and recorded a tackle.
Peters could have his eye on another international player.
According to NFL draft analyst Ryan Fowler, Washington is one of a few teams that have “expressed legitimate interest” in hosting Nigerian defensive tackle Uar Bernard on a visit.
Bernard is a 6-foot-4.5, 306-pound defensive tackle prospect who wowed NFL teams recently at the NFL’s International Player Pathway pro day. Bernard ran the 40-yard dash in 4.6 seconds, posted a 39″ vertical leap, a broad jump of 10 feet, 10 inches, and 31 reps on the bench press. Additionally, Bernard has 11″ hands, and his broad jump outpaced other draft-eligible defensive tackles by at least 10 inches. As a reminder, he’s 306 pounds, with just 6% bodyfat.
Advertisement
Bernard is also only 21 years old.
As with any international prospect, Bernard has little to no football experience. Everything is a projection. But NFL teams love these types of athletes. Bernard never played sports until he took up basketball at 16. He attended several football camps in Africa before being picked up by the NFL’s international program.
Now, Bernard hopes to hear his name called in this month’s 2026 NFL Draft. Some team will certainly spend a Day 3 pick on a player with Bernard’s measurables, hoping and believing it can harness that talent into a legitimate NFL player.
Advertisement
Furthermore, Bernard scored an elite number on the Relative Athletic Score metric, something Washington GM Adam Peters is a big fan of.
Could the Commanders use one of their four Day 3 picks to bring Bernard to Washington?
This article originally appeared on Commanders Wire: Washington Commanders interested in international DT Uar Bernard
