Even after swinging a trade for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. and signing him to a new three-year extension, pairing him with DK Metcalf moving forward, the Pittsburgh Steelers still have a glaring need at wide receiver.
The depth chart behind the two big-name weapons is a bit barren, though Roman Wilson could emerge in Year 3. Regardless, it’s a position group the Steelers must add to, especially in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Whether that’s still in the first round with names like Washington’s Denzel Boston, Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion, USC Makai Lemon, or even Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, or early on Day 2, the Steelers must infuse talent to their receiver room.
If Pittsburgh passes on drafting a wide receiver in the first round, ESPN’s Jordan Reid has the perfect player who fits Pittsburgh outside of Round 1 at the position of need. That would be Alabama’s Germie Bernard.
“He isn’t shy of rolling up his sleeves and doing the dirty work, epitomizing the qualities that Pittsburgh has prioritized in previous years at receiver,” Reid writes in a piece for ESPN.com. “Bernard can align at multiple spots in formations to use his strong hands and display how he’s an asset as a run blocker.”
The Steelers have done quite a bit of work on Bernard. They met with him formally at the 2026 NFL Scouting Combine and presumably had a number of looks at him during the 2025 season as they were scouting Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson.
Bernard also recently revealed that he has a pre-draft visit to Pittsburgh in early April, further strengthening the connection to the franchise as a potential draft target.
Last season with the Crimson Tide, Bernard finished with 64 receptions, 862 yards, and seven touchdowns, serving as a dependable weapon for Simpson. He then clocked a 4.48 40-yard dash at the Combine, raising some concerns about his speed.
There’s a lot to like with the 6-foot-1, 206-pound receiver. In our scouting report, which compared him favorably to Jarvis Landry, we noted:
“Germie Bernard does a lot of things that you’d really want an NFL receiver to do. He isn’t scared of contact in any aspect and brings a physical nature to the position. But he’s not just strong. For being just 22 years old, Bernard is incredibly savvy as a route runner, using head fakes, leverage, and a simple understanding of how to break down zone coverage.
“However, his game is somewhat capped. He can run deep routes well, but doesn’t have the speed to be a true every-down deep threat at the NFL level. He also doesn’t have much agility. This hurts him against press coverage. It limits what he can do after the catch, despite his impressive contact balance.”
That sounds a lot like a Steelers receiver, especially a No. 3 behind Metcalf and Pittman. In first-year head coach Mike McCarthy’s West Coast-style offense, that type of weapon could be a huge factor, especially in the middle of the field.
Landing Bernard in the second round at No. 53 overall would be a nice consolation prize to passing on a receiver in the first.
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