The 2026 NFL Draft discussion around wide receivers is beginning to narrow down to specific player archetypes like measurables, projected testing numbers, and highlight-reel production that fit cleanly into early evaluation shortcuts. In that process, Alabama football's prospect, Germie Bernard, is quietly being overlooked in the eyes of many talent evaluators.
This happening isn't due to the senior WR's lack of production or NFL-caliber traits, but because his value maybe isn't as flashy as other draft-eligible wideouts around college football. That perception is becoming clear as day, in my opinion, with the NFL combine inching closer and early draft positional rankings continuously evaluating the Crimson Tide’s most productive receiver outside of the top five to ten talks. No, Bernard doesn’t dominate the stat sheet or win with a single defining trait. No, he isn’t a pure vertical X, a pure speed demon in the slot, or a one-dimensional yards-after-catch weapon. Instead, he’s a receiver whose impact shows up in a more well-rounded way. Ways like tilting coverage, dictating particular secondary assignments, and consistently giving offensive balance snap after snap.
His production supports during his two seasons in Tuscaloosa under Alabama head coach Kalen DeBoer backs this assessment. I firmly say this because, in 2024, Bernard led the Tide with 50 receptions for 794 yards, while averaging 15.9 yards per catch across 13 games. This tone set the bar for Alabama's WR room in catches, while turning into one of the SEC’s most reliable targets. In 2025, he elevated his game further, reeling in 64 grabs for 862 yards and seven receiving touchdowns, while showing his versatility by adding 101 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
That expanded usage perfectly defined how DeBoer and the Tide offense routinely leaned on Bernard as a problem-solver rather than a role player. Now, as the 2025–26 NFL calendar officially closes and the pre-draft cycle fully turns toward this class, the gap between perception and reality continues to widen. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior from Las Vegas seems to be an afterthought when looking at his peers at the position, despite tape that displays a receiver who boosts offensive efficiency rather than reaping the benefits from it.
Germie Bernard has first-round NFL WR tape in his two years at Alabama
Bernard’s 2025 tape, particularly when his team needed him most, shows how he was able to produce at a high juncture despite coverages being designed to limit him. That alone makes his current standing harder to justify if you ask me. Defenses clearly respected him and treated him as the top man in Alabama's pass-catching stable, and he continued to respond each week by making plays. No, his value may not make eyes pop at the combine in Indianapolis, but it'll show what most defenders who lined up against him and Alabama fans who watched him knew all along.
Even advanced metrics like PFF receiving grades, efficiency scores, and solid YAC production place Bernard among the most dependable FBS wideouts, regardless of whether his raw explosiveness isn’t elite. Most composite big boards often list him in the mid-20s to early-30s range among all prospects, trailing receivers like Ohio State’s Carnell Tate, Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson, USC’s Makai Lemon, and Texas A&M’s Kevin Concepcion as prospects often marveled over more for their speed, frame, or projection-friendly traits rather than week-to-week offensive influence.
Still, his player profile is legit and should have no issues translating to pro offenses. This is why some have compared Bernard’s skill to the early-career of former LSU WR, Jarvis Landry, during his tenure with the Miami Dolphins. Landry was one of the more polished possession receivers in his class, whose value was realized by having strong hands, consistent body control, high motor competitiveness, and trustworthiness rather than game-breaking speed. Like Landry, Bernard wins with timing and consistency, traits that tend to be undervalued during evaluations and are rediscovered on Sundays in September.
With that being said, Bernard being slept on isn’t a reflection of his ability. Instead, it’s a byproduct of the rigorous draft process that often lives and dies on projection over production. No, he might not ever have the flashiest name in his class or the most impressive resume or goty 40 yard dash time, but his film stacks higher than where current rankings suggest.
Bernard is the type of receiver who is dependable and makes his quarterbacks and play callers' lives easier. This is why, as the 2026 pre-draft cycle continues to unfold, it wouldn’t surprise me if all 32 NFL franchises eventually start to catch up to what all Alabama fans knew, as DeBoer and the Tide offensive staff leaned on for the better part of the last two seasons: a receiver whose impact goes far beyond the box score.
If this indeed is realized, it'll be interesting to see what round league commissioner Rodger Goodell or a team representative utters the words ".. select Germie Bernard, WR, Alabama" as draft weekend commences this April in Pittsburgh.