The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up within the second spherical to draft WR Germie Bernard. At this time, I needed to look at the routes he ran throughout his closing school season. The objective is to see frequencies and success, and probably what he might seem like with the Black and Gold in 2026 and past.
Because of information from Sports activities Data Options (SIS), here’s a desk with Bernard’s numbers. Included are routes run, targets, receptions, yards, and touchdowns:
For starters, we see that curls have been Bernard’s commonest route run with 70. Simply 9 targets in that scenario although (7.8 p.c goal price). He did catch every goal, for 80 yards (8.9 yards per reception) and no touchdowns.
For comparability, my current examine of recent Steeler veteran Michael Pittman Jr. revealed curls have been his second commonest route (105 routes). He had 23 targets (21.9 p.c goal price), 21 receptions, 180 yards (8.6 yards/catch) and a landing. So, Bernard’s manufacturing on curl routes final season wasn’t earth-shattering.
Dig and out routes spherical out the highest three route sorts for Bernard in 2025. He had 47 dig routes and was focused on them 13 instances (27.7 goal price) for eight receptions (61.5 p.c catch price), 183 yards and a landing. Whereas the catch complete is a low pattern, Bernard was fairly productive by way of yardage on this route, with 22.9 yards per catch.
A dig, for those who don’t know, is an in-breaking route. Bernard’s spotlight reel options nice examples of working the center of the sphere, getting area, and good yards after the catch.
Former Steelers HC Mike Tomlin clearly prevented the center of the sphere, so will probably be attention-grabbing to see if that modifications with Mike McCarthy. The crew actually added gamers who did it usually final season in Bernard (second-ranked route sort) and Pittman (commonest).
Bernard ran 43 out routes with 23 targets (53.5 p.c goal price), 15 receptions (65.3 p.c catch price), 169 yards (11.3 yards per catch), and no touchdowns. It’s the healthiest goal price up to now, together with a decent yards per catch given the scenario. For comparability, Steeler D.Ok. Metcalf had a 16.7 p.c goal price (48 routes), and Pittman at 17.9 p.c (39 routes). Bernard might have a robust presence right here.
Fade and nook routes ranked fourth and fifth for Bernard’s route sorts. They have been slightly empty by way of quantity, with 5 or fewer targets in every, and just one catch per route sort. They occurred to increase for explosive performs, although, gaining 24 yards on his fade catch and 29 on his catch on a nook route. Neither have been touchdowns, however good to see these drive-extenders in his resume.
Within the 20-routes-run vary for Bernard have been deep cross, display, and seam. There have been 24 deep cross routes, six targets (25 p.c goal price), with 5 catches (83.3 p.c catch price) for 109 yards (21.8 yards per catch) and a landing. There have been 22 display routes, 16 targets (72.7 p.c goal price), 13 catches (81.3 p.c catch price) for 121 yards (9.3 yards per catch) and a landing. Actually, some good outcomes from these routes.
Seams have been an empty proposition for Bernard final season, with no targets on 22 routes run. Want this wasn’t the case, to see what injury he might probably present for Pittsburgh there. Different conditions that Bernard wasn’t focused have been extra seldomly run routes: drags (7), flat (6), over ball (6), comebacks (3), and wheel (2). So we see what conditions could also be prevented or will rely extra on projection in comparison with his 2025 season.
Returning to the routes Bernard was focused on, we see just a few extra with just one catch. There have been 14 go/fly routes, 5 targets (35.7 p.c goal price), and a 20 p.c catch price. The catch was a 27-yard landing. There have been slant routes, 4 targets (20 p.c goal price), and a six-yard catch, additionally for a landing. Eleven publish routes with three targets (27.3 p.c goal price), and a 37-yard catch. Poor catch charges, however hit massive after they related.
All different routes not talked about have been run six instances or fewer. He caught his lone goal on a deep double transfer, a 34-yard catch. One other brilliant facet was his final landing on a beneath route.
So, Bernard was utilized most on curl routes in his closing yr with Alabama. A few of his finest outcomes by way of route sorts have been digs (refreshingly), outs, deep cross, and screens. A number of have been boom-or-bust outcomes: fade, nook, go/fly, slant, publish, double transfer deep and beneath. Routes that Bernard wasn’t focused on have been seam, drag, flat, over ball, comeback, and wheel.
Whereas stats are only a piece of the puzzle, and the NFL is an entire completely different animal than school, I discovered it slightly pleasant to study extra about Bernard’s route sort success and what issues could seem like for him. Right here’s to hoping he’s profitable proper out of the gate with the Steelers.
