Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie wide receiver Germie Bernard, who turned heads at OTAs and minicamp, reminds Mike DeFabo of The Athletic of another former Steelers’ second-round pick wide receiver.
“In terms of his physical dimensions and playing style, Bernard reminds me in some ways of JuJu Smith-Schuster,” DeFabo wrote. “The second-round pick isn’t going to wow you with any single part of his game. He has good size at 6-1 and 207 pounds, but he’s not towering.”
“He has solid speed at 4.48, but he’s not necessarily a burner. When you package it all together, however, he’s a well-rounded and versatile receiver who should find ways to make an impact this year. During OTAs and minicamp, he showed confident hands and good body control, especially near the sideline. That backs up what his college tape already said.”
Former Tennessee Titans general manager Ran Carthon also had an interesting comparison. He sees traits similar to Tampa Bay Buccaneers All-Pro wide receiver Chris Godwin Jr.
“One of my favorite guys,” Carthorn said earlier this month on his With the First Pick podcast. “I think he can play all three positions — X, Z, and he can definitely play the F. I’m gonna push back a little bit. I don’t know that he’s gonna primarily play the slot.
“I think he’s gonna play outside at Z and they’ll put Michael Pittman in the slot, a bigger guy that’d be able to use his size. But I like his versatility. To me, this is a Chris Godwin clone in the way he plays the game.”
The Steelers heavily scouted Bernard ahead of the 2026 NFL Draft. Pittsburgh brought Bernard in for a pre-draft visit and had a formal meeting with him at the NFL Combine.
Coming out of Alabama, Bernard brings a skill set shaped in one of college football’s most demanding systems. Known for his polished route running, ability to create separation, and sure hands on money downs, with only four drops on 232 career third down targets, he has shown flashes of being a reliable target in both short and intermediate areas. His experience against top-tier SEC competition only adds to his appeal. Bernard was a 2-year starter at Alabama after transferring from Washington, he finished his senior season with 64 catches for 862 yards and 7 touchdowns, averaging 13.5 yards per reception.
Bernard, who started his college career at Michigan State, is a Las Vegas native. He played his high school ball at Liberty High School in Henderson, Nevada. Bernard and Steelers offensive tackle Troy Fautanu were high school teammates in 2018. Bernard was a freshman and Fautanu a senior. Bernard reconnected with Fautanu at Washington in 2023, as well.
Bernard led Alabama in receptions in each of the last two seasons. He is a versatile receiver who is not afraid to do the dirty work. He’s a willing blocker, which should make him a good fit in Pittsburgh.
Bernard recently revealed that quarterback Aaron Rodgers sees his potential and has been...
