The University of Alabama has a strong tradition of putting excellent wide receivers into the NFL. The 2026 NFL Draft could be no different with Germie Bernard.
Bernard isn’t considered to be among the top receivers in the draft class, however he is consistently reckoned to be in that next tier after the top four receivers. That, of course, doesn’t mean he can’t be a good receiver at the NFL level, and could outperform his draft slot.
The New York Giants are widely expected to use this year’s draft to reinforce their wide receiver position. Could Bernard be a good value pick for them if they don’t select a receiver at the top of the draft?
Prospect: Germie Bernard (5)
Games Watched: vs. Georgia (2025), vs. Tennessee (2025), vs. South Carolina (2025), vs. LSU (2025)
Red Flags: none
Measurables
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 205 pounds
Strengths
Best traits
- Competitive toughness
- Short area quickness
- Yards after catch
- Play strength
- Blocking
Germie Bernard is a tough, savvy, strong, and smart wide receiver prospect.
Bernard has good size for the position, listed at 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, and his thick frame matches up with his listed size. Bernard is a remarkably agile and shifty receiver for his size, with very quick feet allowing him to get in and out of his breaks with surprising ease.
He routinely creates separation in the short to intermediate area of the field, freezing defenders with quick head, shoulder, and hip fakes, or a quick jab step opposite his intended cut. Bernard understands how to use his routes as a weapon and set defenders up before his breaks.
Bernard is also a very effective runner with the ball in his hand. Alabama put him in motion very frequently, both to a variety of effects – giving him an easier release, forcing the defense to reveal its coverage, creating the threat of a jet sweep, or creating a numbers advantage in blockers on the play side.
Alabama made relatively frequent use of Bernard in the screen game and as a ball carrier off of jet sweeps. He has very good vision to pair with his short-area quickness, as well as very good contact balance and the play strength to break arm tackles. Bernard isn’t a speedy home run threat, however he is able to pick up yards after the catch (or contact) to create chunk plays.
Bernard’s size, play strength, and competitive toughness also lend themselves to blocking. He typically engages with solid technique and has the play strength to sustain his blocks. That makes him a capable perimeter blocker and even a factor on the play side in condensed formations. He shouldn’t be asked to block bigger linebackers or edge defenders, but he can hold up against safeties and even smaller WILL linebackers.
Weaknesses
Worst traits
- Long speed
- Explosiveness
- Contested catch
There are a few weaknesses in Bernard’s game that could limit his appeal (or effectiveness in the wrong system) at the next level.
Most notably, Bernard isn’t a fast or explosive receiver. He has good quickness in and out of his breaks, however he doesn’t have much beyond that initial move. He’s something of a one-speed runner and doesn’t have the speed to pull away from defenders. He can be run down from behind, won’t run away from defenders as a ball carrier, and struggles to separate on vertical routes.
And while Bernard is a rugged, powerful receiver, he doesn’t play up to his size in contested catch situations. While Bernard is able to play through contact as a ball carrier, he only has a contested catch rate of 37.5 per Pro Football Focus, which matches up to his tape. His catch radius doesn’t seem to match his listed size, nor does he consistently box out defenders or fight through tight coverage at the catch point.
Game Tape
(Bernard is the Alabama receiver wearing number 5 and white sleeves to his elbows)
Projection
Germie Bernard projects as a possession receiver at the NFL level. He has the ability to play out of multiple alignments at the next level and could be a useful movable piece for a creative play designer, and has utility as a ball carrier on jet sweeps and screens as well as a receiver.
His greatest upside is in a “New West Coast” or “Spread Coast” offense such as the 49ers or Rams run. Those offenses would make full use of his ability to create separation with his routes in the intermediate area of the field, pick up yards after the catch, and block for his teammates.
Teams from that family of offense could view Bernard as a good value as early as the second round. Offenses that use more vertical routes or use a high rate of isolation routes that ask receivers to win one-on-one would likely be less interested in Bernard.
Does he fit the Giants? Possibly, depending on scheme
Final Word: A Day 2 value
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