Bernstein attended Edgemont Junior – Senior High School in New York,[1] where he played as a fullback, linebacker, and tight end.[2] He rushed for 1,885 yards and 25 scores as a junior.[1] He then added 37 touchdowns and 2,002 yards on the ground and made 108 tackles with seven forced fumbles as a senior, earning the prep version of the Heisman Trophy for that performance.[1] Bernstein finished his career ranked third all-time in New York prep annals in scoring with 504 points.[2] He was a two-time Class C Player of the Year selection and a Con Edison Scholar-Athlete.[1][2]
College career
Bernstein played for the Wisconsin Badgers. As a redshirt freshman, he was named Academic All-Big Ten Conference selection[2] and received the Elroy Hirsch Football Scholarship.[3] He produced 53 touchdown-resulting blocks for a ground game that totaled 71 rushing touchdowns during his first three seasons at Wisconsin,[2] and averaged 10 knockdown blocks per game and made 11 touchdown resulting blocks as a pass protector.[1]
Bernstein played in every game in 2003 as a sophomore and emerged as the starting fullback.[2] He started every game as a junior and finished third on the team with a career-high 300 rushing yards and a touchdown.[2] He was named preseason All-American and All-Big Ten Conference first-team selection by The NFL Draft Report as a senior.[2]
During his junior year, Bernstein, who is Jewish,[4][5]fasted in observance of the religious holiday Yom Kippur prior to a game against the Penn State Nittany Lions. Bernstein recovered from the fast with a "pregame IV bag, and during the game, moved on to turkey slices, fruit and the Penn State defense", according to ESPN.[4][5] In 2006, he was inducted into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.[6]