It's no secret at this point, the Atlanta Falcons are in desperate need of help at wide receiver. As impressive as Drake London has been, Darnell Mooney has been injured for most of the season and Ray-Ray McCloud has been so bad that his snap share has continued to decrease.
Things have gotten so bad in Atlanta that Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts have operated at WR2—and neither of them play receiver. McCloud was utilized as swiss army knife for the Falcons in 2024, and it's evident that OC Zac Robinson is in search of a more effective gadget guy.
McCloud won't be in Atlanta much longer, and Mooney has yet to repcapture the magic of hiis 2024 self. While the rumor mill has been churning about a potential addition at the trade deadline, perhaps turning to the draft is a more realistic outcome for the Dirty Birds to bolster the position.
Falcons should go value hunting to find perfect WR2
The James Pearce Jr. trade saw Atlanta trade their first-round pick to the Rams, but fortunately, 2026 is another deep draft class at receiver. Players like Arizona State's Jordyn Tyson and USC's Makai Lemon might not be realistic options, but it provides Terry Fontenot another opportunity to go hunting for value.
Zachariah Branch and KC Concepcion are two potential Day 2 options for the Falcons, but neither of them are the best fit. Alabama receiver Germie Bernard is one of the nation's best route runners and has blazing speed—and that explosiveness makes him the most compelling mid-round complement to help Michael Penix Jr thrive.
While Ryan Williams gets a lot more of the national attention for the Crimson Tide, it's the 21-year-old who has been Ty Simpson's favorite target. In just five games this season, he's caught 25 passes for 392 yards with a career-high five touchdowns while garnering some early All-American buzz.
When Kalen DeBoer left Washington for Tuscaloosa, Bernard was one of the key players that followed. Since then, he's established himself as one of the best receivers in the nation who could become one of the biggest risers during the pre-draft process.
Additionally, the Las Vegas native has played with Penix before, as the two were teammates at Washington back in 2023. Bernard was below Rome Odunze, Jalen McMillan, and Ja'Lynn Polk on the depth chart, but still managed to develop a rapport with Penix.
Between his time at both Michigan State and Washington, the senior wideout has learned from a surplus of NFL-caliber wideouts, and has utilized that experience to become a jack-of-all-trades receiver.
With Mooney again hurt and Pitts' future in Atlanta still up in the air, the Falcons are searching for another weapon who can stretch the field and create separation for a surging Penix. And Bernard looks like he can be just that.