Steelers Now
A former quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers has high expectations for a pair of the team’s rookies.
The Pittsburgh Steelers are hoping to see big things from their 2026 NFL Draft class. However, former Steelers quarterback Charlie Batch has two players particularly in mind that he thinks will have a big year.
Batch believes wide receiver Germie Bernard and offensive lineman Gennings Dunker will have the best rookie seasons for the Steelers.
“I’m going on the offensive side. Bernard, he’s gonna be one of the guys that they’re gonna be counting on early. They’re gonna play him a lot in the preseason and wanting him to play catch up because he’s going to be a weapon on the offensive side of the ball,” Batch said. “Then I’m going with the big fella, Dunker, up front. I think he’s gonna compete for a starting job, if not eventually play a lot during the course of this season. So, those are the two guys that I’m looking forward to.”
The Steelers traded up to pick No. 47 in the second round of this year’s draft to land Bernard with the belief that he can produce early and often.
The Alabama product is coming off a career-high 64 catches for 862 yards and seven touchdowns in 2025.
Bernard will have to fight for looks with fellow wide receivers DK Metcalf and Michael Pittman Jr., but the Steelers are going to throw a lot more under new head coach Mike McCarthy.
The Steelers then selected Dunker with their last pick in the third round, and he’s quickly become a fan favorite.
Only time will tell if he will be able to beat out veterans Spencer Anderson and Brock Hoffman for the starting job, but he will surely be given every opportunity to given the draft capital that was spent on him.
At Iowa, Dunker was part of a Joe Moore Award-winning offensive line, an honor given annually to the top offensive line unit in college football.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Ex-Steelers QB Predicts Which Rookies Will Have Best Season
