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The Pittsburgh Steelers have an exciting and revamped offense that should provide some optimism to the fan base heading into the 2026 season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers is returning for his second season with the franchise, which marks the first time the Steelers will have the same starting quarterback to open a season in back-to-back years since 2020-2021. Some stability at the quarterback position is significant, as are the upgrades made on the roster on the offensive side of the ball. One of those upgrades was acquired during the 2026 NFL Draft in Pittsburgh, and that is wide receiver Germie Bernard.
It was clear that the Steelers needed to add at the wide receiver position going into the 2026 season. The organization initially had its eyes set on Makai Lemon in the first round of the draft, but that obviously did not work out as the Steelers were jumped by the Philadelphia Eagles in what was an embarrassing turn of events for the franchise. General manager Omar Khan made up for things on the second day of the draft as he traded up in the second round to acquire Bernard with the 47th overall selection.
Bernard has been impressive so far, and he seems to be advanced for a rookie. However, he went through some hard times while preparing for the draft. The rookie opened up about the tough pre-draft process in a recent appearance on the podcast "Big Time Talks."
"That process was hard like mentally, just because I never had anyone in my family that went through that process," Bernard recalled. "I couldn't like go and ask for advice or anything like that. Just trying to balance out everything, it was tough for me mentally. I was able to have my faith to lean back on, so that's something that really helped me get through that process."
The young wide receiver explained that the predraft process was difficult for him to get through, which is completely understandable. It is not talked about enough how grueling the year before entering the NFL is for these players. They play a full college football season right before being put under a microscope in every form of testing imaginable, and then it is off to an NFL team where they are forced to adjust to a whole new game.
The predraft process was tough for Bernard, but it was probably a breath of fresh air once he heard his name called on the second night of the 2026 NFL Draft. He felt as if he didn't have anyone with experience to lean on during that time, so once the process was officially over, he likely felt relieved. Now comes the pressure of performing at the NFL level, but he did note that things have been going well throughout the offseason program with the Steelers.
Steelers' Germie Bernard should be able to contribute immediately
It was clear entering the 2026 NFL Draft that the Steelers wanted to find a young wide receiver who could be on the field right away. That was why the franchise targeted Lemon in the first round, and it is why Khan and company decided on Bernard in the second. He was thought to be the most pro-ready wide receiver prospect. He played in multiple offenses for multiple schools throughout his collegiate career, and he was also seen as a major contributor at a couple of his stops in college.
Bernard is a willing blocker, and he excels with the ball in his hands. The Steelers have needed more yards after the catch in recent years, and Bernard should provide that. He should be exciting to watch during his rookie year, and he seems to be ready to attack it with a full head of steam.
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