Last spring Nic Jacobs took a big gamble.

After one year at McNeese State, the LSU transfer decided to take the chance of a lifetime.

Despite being warned, the tight end elected to forgo his final year of eligibility and turn professional.

Jacobs was betting on himself.

He had personal reasons for making the bold decision, which more than a few people figured was not a wise one.

We even wondered about the move in this space.

But he had a plan and nobody was going to change it. Maybe it was one of those decisions by necessity.

Whatever the reasons, Jacobs left to try and make it in the NFL.

He attended all the workouts and went to the combine. But on draft weekend his phone never rang.

Disappointed, Jacobs kept his cool and went about his business.

The New Orleans Saints came calling, inviting Jacobs to their training camp, where he impressed them enough to make the team.

He was earning a paycheck from an NFL team, but there was still more goals to reach.

Jacobs was on the practice squad and not dressing for games. That meant he was making money but its the game checks that lead to the riches we think of when it comes to pro football.

Then last week the Jacksonville Jaguars came calling. They plucked Jacobs from the Saints’ developmental group and gave him a jersey as the club’s No. 3 tight end for Sunday’s game against the San Diego Chargers.

The Jaguars, perhaps the worst team in the NFL, lost 33-14, but Jacobs proved a winner with his gamble.

Not only did he get that paycheck but he also played.

Rookie quarterback Blake Bortles threw one pass Jacobs’ way and he caught it for just a 2-yard gain, that led to exactly half of Jacksonville’s touchdowns that day.

The play will be lost in the history of the NFL, but it goes to show us all that some dreams do come true.

Jacobs proved that he was not only worthy of his decision to leave college early but he knew exactly what he was doing all along.

What Jacobs did more than anything else was show he believed in himself, maybe more than others.

Sure it was a gamble, but he knew that all along. This wasn’t about making a statement or proving a point, it was about making a living for his family.

This proved that Jacobs was making a right decision all along, for him. These decisions are always personal.

Nobody else can tell a person what path in life they should take. Advice is great, but in the end you have to do what is best for you and your family.

Jacobs knew this all along.

By doing so well more doors may open for current and future McNeese players. The NFL is a copycat league so the more success players form a school have in the league is almost always followed by more scouts showing up at practice.

It also doesn’t hurt recruiting either. Every college player, no matter what size the school they attend, has hopes of being the next guy to make it.

That is a good thing.

By making good on his bet, Jacobs may have opened the door for the next McNeese player.

However, that is just a sidebar. The real story is about Jacobs, a dream and believing in one’s self.

While this appears to only be the beginning, Jacobs has already proven to be a winner.

As for those who questioned his move, we learned it is not always better to be safe than sorry.

Sometimes trusting your own talents means more than anything.

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Jim Gazzolo is managing sports editor. Email him at jgazzolo@americanpress.com(Rick Hickman/American Press)