From lax bro to NFL pro.NFL teams finalized their 53-man rosters Tuesday ahead of the Sept. 8 start of the 2022 regular season. The Falcons' list had a surprise name on it: Jared Bernhardt.The wide receiver out of Ferris State impre sed during the preseason, highlighted by a game-winning touchdown reception against the Lions in the opener.NFL ROSTER CUTS: He also only played one season of college football. You see, prior to his gridiron days, Bernhardt was a lacro se star at Maryland.Falcons WR Jared Bernhardt - who won the Tewaarton Award as the best lacro se player in the country in 2021 - has made the teams initial 53-man roster.He started playing WR in May. One of the coolest stories in the NFL. Field Yates (@FieldYates) And when we say star . . .. . . we mean star.Bernhardt is one of the greatest players in college lacro se history. Hewon the Dante Exum Jersey Tewaaraton Award, given to the nation's best lacro se player, in 2021, and he holds a host of Terps school records, including most goals (202) and most points (290).But for all his exploits with a lacro se stick, football was Bernhardt's first love. He showed potential as a dual-threat quarterback in high school, enough to earn an offer from the Naval Academy.Bernhardt ultimately spurned Annapolis for College Park. After playing a pivotal role for Maryland lacro se's 2017 national championship team, it appeared as if he had made the right choice.Still, he always had his eyes on the gridiron.MORE:Bernhardt's father, who played football at Hofstra, died in 2019. Fueled by his dad's pa sion for the sport, Bernhardt announced his intention to pursue football after his lacro se career ended.Bernhardt transferred to Division II Ferris State and turned his one season there into a contract with the Falcons. He then turned his preseason with Atlanta into a spot on an NFL roster.Ridder BernhardtStealing our hearts: | : Falcons App Atlanta Falcons (@AtlantaFalcons) Bernhardt isn't the first former lacro se to strut his stuff on a different playing surface. Another past Tewaaraton winner, Pat Spencer of Loyola (Md.), is plying his trade in the G League. Hall of Famers Jim Thorpe and Jim Brown famously shined on the lacro se field prior to their pro football careers.Perhaps a good model for Bernhardt's career path could be former Patriots wideout Chris Hogan. Hogan played a year of football at Monmouth after becoming an all-conference lacro se player at Penn State. After going undrafted, Hogan embarked on a ten-year NFL ody sey, one that was highlighted by a pair of Super Bowl rings with New England. He now is playing lacro se in PLL.The 24-year-old Bernhardt figures to be someone to watch in 2022. Maybe we'll see a lacro se-related celebration if he reaches the end zone. Brad Daugherty Jersey Related Articles