The Pittsburgh Steelers added 10 new players to the organization over the weekend as the franchise completed the highly anticipated 2026 NFL Draft. Many fans are disappointed with the way that the Steelers went about the draft initially. They wanted some more excitement with all of the draft capital that the organization had, but nothing like that really came to fruition. The first round was seemingly a disaster as the Steelers got jumped in the order while General Manager Omar Khan was on the phone prematurely with a prospect. Max Iheanachor, who was actually picked, now knows he was not the team's first option.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and Owner Art Rooney II on the field at a team practice while having a discussion.
Where the draft did get a little bit exciting for the Steelers was on Day 2 of the event. The Steelers held the 53rd overall selection, which fell in the second round, but the team traded up to the 47th selection. With that pick, the Steelers chose wide receiver Germie Bernard out of Alabama. He is an exciting wide receiver, and it was known that the organization had some interest in him. Had the first round played out the way the Steelers initially hoped, the franchise probably would have gone in a different direction. Beat writer Mark Kaboly appeared on 93.7 The Fan on Monday morning, and he shared that Bernard was his favorite selection by the Steelers.
"Favorite pick?" Kaboly asked. "I mean, you have to like Germie Bernard, right? 47th? I think he can come in and contribute right away. I think he’s a little lowkey receiver, any other year, he’s probably a first-rounder."
Kaboly shared that he believes that Bernard could have been a first-rounder in a lot of other drafts. That may be true as many teams were focused on drafting offensive linemen during the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, despite the fact that five wide receivers were still drafted in 2026. There was more of a drop-off in the trenches, and teams knew that the wide receiver position was semi-deep in this year's event.
Kirby Lee / Imagn Images
Former Alabama wide receiver Germie Bernard speaks to the media following a loss in the Rose Bowl.
Kaboly is not the first person to speak out about how good Bernard could be. Legendary NFL wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. has also spoken out since the Steelers made the pick. He discussed how good Bernard can be in the running game, and how he has continued to develop as a wide receiver.
Bernard fits exactly what the Steelers need at wide receiver. He is a speedy playmaker that can make things happen with the ball in his hands, and he has the versatility to play inside and outside. The wide receiver room has taken a significant step forward since the end of the 2025 season as Bernard and Michael Pittman Jr. have both been added to the mix. The young wide receiver has been considered a perfect fit for Pittsburgh, and it is good to have some excitement at the wide receiver position once again for the Steelers.
Steelers' New Wide Receiver Wanted To End Up In Pittsburgh
Since being drafted by Pittsburgh, Bernard has been very transparent about how he thought he might end up with the Steelers. He has spoken about the fact that he has had nothing but good interactions with people from the organization, and he also already knows some of the guys on the team. He was on the same team as Troy Fautanu at Washington. Bernard spent the 2023 season there with Fautanu when Washington made it to the National Championship.
Dean Rutz / The Seattle Times
Germie Bernard during his time at Washington.
He was playing behind some talented wide receivers at the time, and he transferred to Alabama the following offseason, which is where he spent two seasons. Bernard seems to have a good head on his shoulders, which is going to be refreshing for the wide receivers in Pittsburgh.
What do you think about Kaboly's comments on Bernard? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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