Lawrence attracting attention

Standing 6-foot-6, Patrick Lawrence has attracted the attention of college coaches. It's not just his height, but his pad level, explosiveness, and athleticism are quick to catch the eye as well. Then there is his frame. He's a lean 245 pounds with plenty of room to grow.

The Waxahachie, Texas offensive tackle earned second-team all-district honors for his efforts in 2012, and the recruiting process has already gotten interesting.

"It's kind of confusing because obviously I've never done this before, but my coaches have been helping me out a little bit and luckily I've had opportunity to be contacted by college coaches to make a little easier," Lawrence said. "And stuff like [Next Level Athlete] definitely helps a lot. Junior days and all that good stuff make it a lot easier to get in front of those coaches."

He has already attended junior days at Baylor and SMU, and both the Bears and the Mustangs have made a strong first impression.

"Baylor was first. It was great," Lawrence said. "They are building a brand new stadium and it's hard not to like that place with all of their facilities. Then SMU is a great school. Great academics. Good coaching. June Jones seems like a great coach. I'm really excited. I'd like to get an offer from either one. I'd love to go to either one."

He also picked up his first offer this past week from Oregon State.

"They contacted me on Facebook and I gave them a call and they said they wanted to offer me a scholarship," Lawrence said. "I was very excited and I'm going to go up there in April for their junior day and check it out and watch their spring game and see what they're about up there."

The offer from the Beavers definitely caught his attention.

"Before now I've never even thought of going so far up north. I've always thought of staying in Texas," Lawrence said. "That's a great school and I'd be lucky to go there. It's fantastic."

In addition the Oregon State, SMU, and Baylor, Lawrence is hearing interest could be coming from TCU in the near future.

When it comes to the decision making process, the standout offensive lineman is in no hurry.

"I want to keep my options open and make sure I get to see the school before I commit anywhere," Lawrence said. "That's why I want to go up to Oregon State. I don't want to make any quick decisions. I want to definitely keep my options open."

While he plans to take his time, he does have an idea about what he is looking for in a program.

"Basically what everyone is looking for - good academics, good background, I'd like to stay close to home but I don't have to," Lawrence said.

Outside of his plans to visit Oregon State, Lawrence does not have any other visits scheduled right now. However, he will be in attendance when the Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour stops through Texas on March 17 in Cedar Hill, Texas.