It was just four days after coaching Washington in the national championship that Kalen DeBoer accepted an offer from Alabama to become Nick Saban’s successor as head coach.
Eight days after entering the transfer portal, Washington offensive lineman Parker Brailsford announced that he would be following his head coach to Alabama. Receiver Germie Bernard followed up the next day with the same announcement.
Bernard said that DeBoer’s track record of winning was what made him transfer.
“It was his track record of winning,” Bernard said to AL.com. “If you look at his track record at every school he’s been to, he’s winning, and they have a great offense that’s going to get receivers the ball and be explosive.”
Both players have a chance to showcase their talent, as they are new faces around Tuscaloosa and many fans are interested in what they may provide for the Crimson Tide.
Parker Brailsford
Brailsford is an interior offensive lineman transfer primarily playing as center. Originally from Mesa, Arizona, he stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 290 pounds.
Brailsford didn’t make his Crimson Tide debut until the team’s game against Western Kentucky.
“Parker’s just going through some non-football related things and he’s going to be with us,” DeBoer said to the New York Times, explaining why Parker sat out the A-Day game. “He’s working out with our strength staff and has done a great job there.”
In high school Brailsford emerged as a 3-star recruit with “potential to be a multi-year starter for a power five team,” according to 247Sports. He was ranked as a top 30 interior offensive lineman in the country and top 10 player in Arizona.
Multiple schools worked to win over Brailsford throughout the recruiting process, but as time narrowed down, he received and accepted an offer from Washington.
His first year in Washington was uneventful, as he saw very little playing time and ultimately chose to redshirt his freshman season.
Brailsford saw more playing time during his redshirt-freshman year, earning Freshman All-American awards from the American Football Coaches Association, Football Writers Association of America and Pro Football Focus.
Brailsford was also part of Washington’s offensive line that last season won the Joe Moore award, an honor given to the best offensive line unit in college football. PFF also labeled him as the second most valuable center in the country and gave him an 80.7 run blocking grade, ranking second best among Power Five centers.
With Alabama’s 2023 season full of snapping and blocking issues, grouping Brailsford with players like Tyler Booker and Kadyn Proctor could boost the Crimson Tide’s offensive line performance in the future.
Germie Bernard
Bernard is a former multi-sport athlete from Hendersonville, Nevada, where he also played basketball and ran track.
He was a 4-star prospect and top five player in the state in 2022. Awards such as Gatorade Player of the Year and Mountain League Offensive Most Valuable Player helped propel him into the spotlight.
A scouting report by 247Sports in March 2020 described Bernard as having a muscular frame and strong lower body. With his track background, he excels at getting off the line and winning one-on-one matchups.
The report also projected him to be a mid to late-round draft pick with traits similar to current Raiders wide receiver Nelson Agholor. It furthermore described him as having the potential to be a multi-year starter in college with dangerous ability after the catch.
Bernard originally committed to Washington in late July 2020 and signed in December 2021. Less than a month after signing, he received an offer from Michigan State as well as a same-day crystal ball prediction to flip and commit there.
Two days after receiving the offer from Michigan State, he decommitted from Washington. It took two more days for his official commitment to Michigan State to arrive.
After not seeing much playing time at Michigan State his first year, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Washington within the week.
He finished his career at Michigan State with seven receptions for 128 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned seven kickoffs.
During his sophomore year in Washington under Kalen DeBoer, he spent time in a wide receiver room with what would be three NFL draft picks. Even among the soon-to-be pro receivers, he recorded 31 receptions for 371 yards and two touchdowns.
Bernard also returned two punts, seven kickoffs, and recorded several rushes as well. By the end of the season, he finished with more than 650 all-purpose yards.
Because of Bernard’s dangerous potential, he has a good chance, like Brailsford, to make a name for himself at Alabama.
