After trading for Michael Pittman Jr., the receiver position is less of a need for the Pittsburgh Steelers. But it’s still a spot they’ll need to add to during the draft. Even as high as the first-round, some think, despite the Pittman acquisition. If the Steelers decline to take one that early, though, the class is so deep that Day 2 will have plenty of quality options. One being Alabama’s Germie Bernard, who Steelers beat writer Ray Fittipaldo believes would be an excellent fit in Pittsburgh.
“Germie is from Alabama, he’s just a really good player… He really fits what they need now. You have two big guys on the outside, both with different roles. DK is still your big play, Pittman is gonna project more as a possession receiver type of guy at this stage of his career. They need a slot,” Fittipaldo said Friday on 93.7 The Fan. “Bernard is a guy who produced in the SEC, had a good combine too. So there’s a lot to like there… I think Day 2, second or third round, is a great place to get a receiver.”
Bernard is an exciting receiver to watch, and he produced well at Alabama despite for targets in a talented receiver room. Bernard is coming off 862 receiving yards on 64 receptions, scoring seven receiving touchdowns, and scoring two on the ground.
While it’s a lot to ask Germie Bernard to reach the level Deebo Samuel did in the NFL, it’s a comparison that’s come up during this draft cycle. There are some similarities in the way Bernard could help an offense. He’s great after the catch, which is more due to his exceptional contact balance than his speed. He played both outside and in the slot at Alabama, and even got some carries out of the backfield. Bernard ran for 101 yards on 5.6 per attempt in 2025.
There are some drawbacks to Bernard’s game. The Steelers might want to add more speed to the room, and Bernard doesn’t have the same top-end speed of other receivers in the draft, and can struggle a little to beat press coverage at line.
That said, Bernard has a lot of qualities the Steelers would love to add. And the interest is there, with Pittsburgh bringing him in for a pre-draft visit in April.
The Steelers sit at 53rd overall in the second round, which feels like the area in which Bernard might come off the board. The second round, as Fittipaldo says, should see a ton of receivers selected. To him, Germie Bernard might fit the best of any in that group.
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