– Muscular frame with good play strength. Bernard displays good contact balance with the ball in space, leaving defenders in a position of conflict and bringing him down on the first attempt. He is a physical playmaker with good acceleration in the open field, generating yards after the catch and contact.
– Bernard is a refined route runner with precision cuts at the breaking point of his stem. He understands pacing and leveraging to create pockets and space between himself and the defensive back. He excels at attacking defenses between the hashes in the MoF—in-breaking routes like dig, shallow crossers, slants, and deep over routes. He has a winnable release package against man coverage using his strength and hands to deflect the DB’s punches.
– Attacking and exploiting zone defenses with high-level football IQ and processing. The former Michigan Spartan excels at finding open grass against zone coverages and makes himself available for the quarterback. He has a great feel for space, knowing when to extend his route and sit it down in an open void.
– Bernard’s positional flexibility helps create mismatches and easy outlet targets for the quarterback. He aligns in the backfield and every receiver position. Alabama will motion him out of the backfield into the slot or the end of a three-receiver set, generating a mismatch against a safety and/or linebacker.
– Bernard displays strong and reliable hands to pluck the football away from his frame. This shows up on the slot and back shoulder fades. He is a tough, physical playmaker who is not afraid to work into high-traffic areas.
