Former Pottsboro Cardinal and SMU linebacker Justin Lawler achieved a childhood dream by winning a Super Bowl with the Los Angeles Rams in their 23-20 defeat of the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.

Lawler was originally drafted by the Rams in 2018 and was a member of the Rams squad that year that lost to the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LIII. 

His path to the NFL was not an easy one. He was not exactly a blue chip prospect coming out of high school. In fact, he was a two-star recruit that has had to work tirelessly to get to where is he now.

"It's just kind of the adversity that you go through in life," said Lawler. "I think the biggest thing in handling negativity or being a two-star recruit...is just being where your feet are. The only thing you can do is control this moment, so get better to get where you want to go."