Germie Bernard has had normal ups and downs that come with a rookie training camp in the NFL, but his preseason debut was very promising for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He showed sure hands, crisp routes, and an ability to create yards after the catch. It was the kind of performance that caught the attention of talent evaluators around the league.
“Pittsburgh may have found its latest wide receiver discovery. It’s just one exhibition, but second-round rookie Germie Bernard seems incredibly at home in the slot and was generating real buzz in scouting circles after his debut,” Jason La Canfora wrote via Casino.org.
Bernard caught four of his five targets for 51 yards against the Packers’ starting defense, and the lone incompletion was almost the play of the game. Working with Mason Rudolph in a scramble drill, Bernard made an impressive adjustment to the back of the end zone and nearly came down with a touchdown, only to have his second foot forced out of bounds by the defender.
Even on the incompletion, Bernard showed his ability to high point the football and the quick thinking necessary to work himself open during a broken play.
His long reception of 25 yards was equally as impressive, Bernard spinning his way through two would-be tacklers and scampering up the sideline for an explosive gain. He was dubbed one of the most pro-ready receivers in the draft, and his first preseason game did nothing to debunk that evaluation.
He’s the fourth receiver on Pittsburgh’s depth chart at the moment with DK Metcalf, Michael Pittman Jr., and Roman Wilson ahead of him. But with Pittman and DK dealing with minor injuries, Bernard has gotten plenty of extra work with Aaron Rodgers and the starting offense. That will pay off at some point this season.
There were seven receivers taken ahead of Bernard before the Steelers traded up to draft him at No. 47 overall. Based on his first game action, the Steelers may have gotten a steal. And according to La Canfora, scouting circles are thinking the same thing.
