Second round: Germie Bernard, wide receiver, Alabama
After trading up with the Colts six spots to the 47th overall pick, the Steelers addressed wide receiver by selecting Alabama's Germie Bernard in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Bernard, 22, stands 6-1 and weighs 206 pounds, and has very large hands at 9 7/8 inches. He lacks explosive traits (32 1/2-inch vertical), but has a high football IQ, is a good route runner and has very sure hands (one drop on 102 targets in 2025). He was also very productive for the Crimson Tide, catching 64 passes for 862 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Bernard's Relative Athletic Score was a 9.06 out of 10, which means he's still a very good athlete.
The Steelers value Bernard's versatility, his ability to play either inside or outside, and what he can bring as a route runner and yards after the catch.
"The flexibility is certainly always attractive, when you have guys who can have multiple roles," Brian Angelichio said Friday night. "More than anything else, he's a clutch player. He made a lot of big catches for Alabama in critical moments. That's where they were going with the ball. You always want that in a player."
On top of being a good route runner and having an ability to create after the catch, Bernard is also known to not be afraid to get his hands dirty, being a very willing blocker in the run game. And, while he didn't do it in his two seasons at Alabama, Bernard was a contributor in both kick and punt returns at Washington in 2023 and Michigan State in 2022.
"They're getting a selfless guy, a guy that's going to do everything for the team to have success," Bernard said via conference call. "I'm a guy that's explosive with the ball in my hands and can create plays. I'm a selfless teammate."
THE ASYLUM
Second round: Germie Bernard, wide receiver, Alabama
After trading up with the Colts six spots to the 47th overall pick, the Steelers addressed wide receiver by selecting Alabama's Germie Bernard in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Bernard, 22, stands 6-1 and weighs 206 pounds, and has very large hands at 9 7/8 inches. He lacks explosive traits (32 1/2-inch vertical), but has a high football IQ, is a good route runner and has very sure hands (one drop on 102 targets in 2025). He was also very productive for the Crimson Tide, catching 64 passes for 862 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025. Bernard's Relative Athletic Score was a 9.06 out of 10, which means he's still a very good athlete.
The Steelers value Bernard's versatility, his ability to play either inside or outside, and what he can bring as a route runner and yards after the catch.
"The flexibility is certainly always attractive, when you have guys who can have multiple roles," Brian Angelichio said Friday night. "More than anything else, he's a clutch player. He made a lot of big catches for Alabama in critical moments. That's where they were going with the ball. You always want that in a player."
On top of being a good route runner and having an ability to create after the catch, Bernard is also known to not be afraid to get his hands dirty, being a very willing blocker in the run game. And, while he didn't do it in his two seasons at Alabama, Bernard was a contributor in both kick and punt returns at Washington in 2023 and Michigan State in 2022.
"They're getting a selfless guy, a guy that's going to do everything for the team to have success," Bernard said via conference call. "I'm a guy that's explosive with the ball in my hands and can create plays. I'm a selfless teammate."
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