Germie Bernard vs. Deebo Samuel Sr.
Pre-Draft Measurements & Combine Testing
Category Germie Bernard Deebo Samuel Sr.
- Height: 6'1 1/4" 5'11 1/4"
- Weight: 206 lbs. 214 lbs.
- Arm Length: 30 3/8" 31 3/8"
- Hand Size: 97/8" 10"
- 40-Yard Dash: 4.48 4.48
- 10-Yard Split: 1.52 1.48
- Vertical Jump: 32.5" 39.0"
- Broad Jump: 10'5" 10'2"
- 3-Cone Drill: 6.71 7.03
- 20-Yard Shuttle: 4.31 4.14
On the Steve Smith Podcast they dived into comparing Bernard and veteran All-Pro receiver Deebo Samuel. It’s something that Bernard feels in a compliment.
“Yeah, man, it's a big comparison,” Bernard said. “I mean, De Bo is one of the top receiving the league, you can utilize them in every kind of way, and so, like, I think that kind of player is very valuable.”
Over the course of his seven years in the NFL, Samuel has rushed carried the football 219 times for 1.218 yards and 21 touchdowns. Remember Ty Montgomery’s success in Green Bay with Mike McCarthy. The Stanford wide receiver become one of the best weapons on the Packers offense under the direction of McCarthy.
“Yeah, I believe so,” Bernard said in reference to running the football. “You know, just know, kind of playing like a running back when you get the ball. I just want to do the best for my team, man, and put my team in the best position.”
The 40-yard dash gets the headlines. The 3-cone drill is where scouts start paying attention.
For a receiver, a 6.71-second 3-cone isn't just good it was the best recorded time by any player at the 2026 NFL Combine.
Why does that matter?
Because the 3-cone drill measures something closer to actual receiver play than a straight-line sprint ever will. It tests how efficiently a player can sink his hips, redirect, accelerate out of breaks and maintain body control through sudden movement. In simple terms, it measures whether a receiver can get open.
NFL offenses are built on separation.
Defensive backs today are too athletic for receivers to simply run past everyone. Winning often comes down to creating two feet of space at the top of a route. That's where elite change-of-direction ability shows itself.
Ironically, when comparing Bernard to Samuel coming out of South Carolina, Bernard actually posted the superior 3-cone time. Samuel ran a 7.03. Bernard checked in at 6.71. Both ran identical 4.48 forty-yard dashes, but Bernard showed more short-area efficiency during testing. That doesn't mean he's Deebo. It simply highlights a trait NFL teams’ value.
The number becomes even more impressive when paired with Bernard's size. At 6-foot-1 and 206 pounds, he isn't a smaller slot-only receiver relying on quickness. He carries legitimate NFL frame density while still posting elite agility numbers.
