When the 2025 season began, the Indianapolis Colts appeared to have a textbook receiving room. The individual players may not have been the best in the league, but they fit their roles to a tee.
You had the reliable possession guy in Michael Pittman Jr, the ascendant star in Alec Pierce, and the dangerous slot in Josh Downs. Behind them, there was hyper-talented breakout candidate AD Mitchell. Finally, two steady depth pieces in outside option Ashton Dulin and slot prototype Anthony Gould, both of whom were major contributors on special teams. Textbook.
As the season progressed, some things went well – Pierce – and some not so well – Mitchell. Heading into 2026, Chris Ballard finds himself with a lot of difficult decisions about how to build on this current strength. Can he resign Pierce, a pending free agent? Will Pittman’s massive contract hit make him a potential salary cap casualty?
Alabama WR Germie Bernard 2026 NFL Draft scouting report
Since it seems difficult to imagine affording both Pittman and Pierce in 2026, the Colts may be looking for a receiver in the upcoming draft to step into the starting lineup and begin producing immediately. Without a first-round pick, such a player may be hard to find, but there are a lot of potential day two prospects who could fit the bill. Today, we’ll look at one of the most compelling.
Height: 6’1”
Weight: 204 pounds
Expected 40 Yard Dash Time: 4.52
Recruiting: 4-star recruit: No. 33 ranked wide receiver nationally.
College Production: 55 games, 155 receptions, 2203 receiving yards, 36 rushing attempts, 184 rushing yards, 18 combined touchdowns
Positives
- Polished route runner who can run any pattern.
- Great strength at point of catch makes him a contested catch standout.
- Can line up at any receiver position as well as in the backfield as running back or wildcat quarterback.
- Instincts and vision of a running back with the ball in his hands.
- Production in a variety of systems.
Bernard played for three high-end programs over four seasons and did well in each, but he really thrived once he came to Alabama for his final two college seasons.
The Crimson Tide made use of his great versatility, lining him up in the backfield at times, letting him run, and even throw the occasional pass. He runs every pattern and is most effective on both intermediate in-cuts and out-cuts. He can work the sidelines like a pro and find soft spots in zones over the middle.
A high school QB, Bernard is comfortable getting the ball on jet sweeps, shovel passes, and even taking the occasional direct snap. His experience showed against Tennessee when he was supposed to throw a pass back to the QB, who was covered on the play.
Rather than forcing the pass, Bernard tucked the ball and made a decisive run for positive yards. His signature moment in 2025 came as he leaped over pro prospect Jacobe Johnson to make a sensational contested catch against Oklahoma in the first round of the CFP in December.
Negatives:
- Despite being a decent deep ball threat, Bernard’s straight line is pedestrian by NFL standards. He will not run past pro cornerbacks.
- Being as versatile as he is also means he has not shown the ability to do any single thing at an elite level.
- For such a physical player, he has yet to show much in the way of blocking effectiveness.
Bernard is a tough, reliable player. His blocking will improve at the next level, and his route running, which is already advanced, should get even better as well. But he is never going to be an elite downfield threat. He gets by with vision, technique, and instinct as opposed to superior athleticism. He is not likely to ever be an NFL team’s WR1, but could develop into a first-rate supporting player.
Germie Bernard NFL Player Comparison: Commanders’ WR Deebo Samuel
With his versatility and running instincts, Bernard can do a lot of what Deebo Samuel has done for San Francisco and Washington. Can he do it at the same level as the 2021 All-Pro? That’s a tall ask, and it may be more realistic to call him a poor-man’s Deebo Samuel instead of the next coming.
But the skills are all there. His route-running is probably more polished than Samuel's coming out of South Carolina, even if his raw athleticism comes up a little short.
Germie Bernard NFL Draft Grade: Mid-2nd/Mid-3rd round Selection
If the Colts can re-sign Alec Pierce and decide to release Michael Pittman for salary cap reasons, Bernard would be an ideal draft pick to step into Pittman’s role. He is not as big as Pittman, but he produces similarly. He is a versatile possession receiver who consistently moves the chains, but also can get deep on occasion.
Ideally, Pierce and Pittman are both on the roster in 2026, and a rookie like Bernard gets a year to play behind them, lining up all over the field, before stepping into Pittman’s role in 2027. But if called on to play right away, Bernard is experienced enough and physical enough to begin producing in his rookie year.