When the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up in the second round to land Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard at No. 47 overall, the belief was that the Steelers were landing a pro-ready receiver.
Bernard enters the NFL with great route running abilities and can line up all over the formation to produce.
After going through rookie minicamp, Organized Team Activities and mandatory minicamp, Bernard has done nothing to change that line of thinking.
Instead, he’s shown in a limited sample size that he’s all that and more. He could be a major piece for the Steelers’ offense in 2026.
For The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, Bernard showed just how pro-ready he is through his daily consistency on the practice field.
“There’s nothing that wows you, but you just look at him and you’re like, ‘This is a polished receiver that you could see being a really useful piece in this offense,'” DeFabo said on the latest episode of the Yinziders. “And to your point, he’s just very reliable. I think he only had a handful of drops over the last couple of years. Very reliable hands. And so, I think one of his big tests was gonna be first and foremost understanding McCarthy’s offense. Mike McCarthy, as we’ve mentioned, he wants these guys to be versatile and play all three spots, and so in a sense he’s kinda learning more than maybe another receiver.
“He’s had to learn outside, inside, and so digesting the playbook has been something he’s been able to do very effectively to this point.”
Saying there is nothing what wows you with Bernard isn’t a slight, either. He’s not a flashy receiver. He’s all substance, no flash, which is a great thing at receiver.
He’s willing to do the dirty work as a blocker, is a reliable pass catcher with strong hands, and isn’t the type of receiver that demands the football to make an impact in the game. That stuff might not show up much in OTAs and minicamp, but it is something that will be very noticeable in training camp once the Steelers report to Saint Vincent.
Having played for three different programs in college has helped Bernard hit the ground running, too. Picking up first-year head coach Mike McCarthy’s scheme hasn’t been much of a challenge for Bernard. Getting on the same page, understanding the hand signals and providing quarterback Aaron Rodgers with what he’s looking for will be the biggest challenge ahead for Bernard.
But with his play style and his overall football IQ, Bernard should be able to adapt on the fly.
Expectations are high for the rookie. He’s doing nothing to put a damper on those expectations. Hopefully it all translates to football in pads.
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