Draft Expert Names Alabama Prospect Who Will 'Give You Everything He Has'

If there was any Alabama football player to exceed their expectations this past season, Germie Bernard was at the top of the list.

Bernard finished this season with 64 receptions for 862 yards and seven touchdowns, plus 18 carries for 101 yards and two more scores in 14 games. His catches mark ranked sixth in the SEC, his yardage was seventh and he had the fifth-most scores.

When comparing to his 2024 campaign, in 2025 he had 28 more touches for 132 more yards and six more total touchdowns. Bernard's extreme improvement has helped him earn second-round projections for the 2026 NFL Draft, including a recent mock from renowned analyst Mel Kiper Jr.

"You know exactly what you're getting [in Bernard]," Kiper said on Thursday during a media conference call. "A guy who will give you everything he has, runs good routes, has versatility. They had him in the backfield.

"He's not going to do a lot down the field. He's not going to be a difference-maker down the field. He's not going to get tons of yards after catch, although he'll get enough. He'll battle. He'll block very well. He'll do the dirty work for you. He'll catch the football when it's thrown to him. He'll do all that. He'll be unselfish."

There are plenty of examples for Kiper, who has held his current position at ESPN since 1984, to feel this way about Bernard.

On Nov. 16, 2024, up 7-0 in the red zone at home against Mercer, former Alabama quarterback Jalen Milroe connected with wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams underneath and he trotted his way into the end zone untouched. That said, although his footwork and shiftiness are a sight to behold, there was a decent chance he would've been taken down before even crossing the line of scrimmage.

Bernard assured his teammate would sprint ahead of him, as he blocked one Mercer defensive back to the ground within a couple of seconds of the play starting. But then, with that same defender desperately trying to get back up and head towards Coleman-Williams, Bernard not only kept him down, but also lowered his shoulder on safety Myles Redding, who went flying after also tripping over his fallen teammate.

"We were talking about it as soon as I got to the sideline," Coleman-Williams said after the game. "I was like 'YOU A DOG! YOU A DOG! I APPRECIATE YOU!' and he was just smiling and cheesing. He's a straight-up dog, a full-on animal, you can't ask for a better teammate."

Tied at 22 apiece on the road against South Carolina on Oct. 25 of this past season, Bernard was in the shotgun and took the direct snap 25 yards into the end zone with 34 seconds remaining. He could've went down near the goal line and Alabama would've attempted a chip-shot field goal as time expired.

He even admitted that it was "easy" to score because the South Carolina defense wanted its offense to get the ball back. Nevertheless, Bernard got the green light to score, and DeBoer shared why.

"We got all the trust in the world," DeBoer said during the South Carolina postgame press conference. "You've seen us every week have different things that we do where he's lined up in a Wildcat and get him out of the backfield, throw him the ball, double pass opportunities. Guys who are disciplined, the game slows down for them. You give them the opportunities as much as possible in critical moments to go make plays for you."

Kiper has Bernard being picked 34th overall (second pick of Round 2) by the Miami Dolphins in his final two-round mock draft.

"I like Germie Bernard," Kiper said. "I think he's the kind of kid where you go from one program to the other and do what he did. I think he's a second-rounder, a solid second-rounder, maybe even an early second-rounder. So I do really like him."