HOUSTON, Tex. -- One of the hidden gems in the 2019 class in Texas could be Bellaire-Episcopal defensive end Patrick Bayouth - but perhaps not for much longer.
In October, Bayouth made a trip north for an unofficial visit to an SMU game, and has plans to be in Lubbock later this month when Texas Tech hosts TCU. At home, schools have been taking notice of him as well, and Northwestern in particular is one team that has been keeping tabs on him this year.
“They’re just a really well-rounded school with academics and athletics,” he said of Northwestern. “I think it would be cool to live up there. It would be cold, but it would be fun and interesting.”
Notre Dame appears to be another team where there is some early mutual interest. Bayouth is still very much developing as a player, but has really come into his own physically this season, and is brushing up in the neighborhood of 6-4, 250-pounds.
IN HIS WORDS
Recapping his visit to SMU
“They looked really good,” he said. “They’ve got a great defense out there, [Justin Lawler] is one of the best defensive linemen in the nation. They’ve been doing really good - they have a great coach and I really think that program is on the rise.”
On his interest in Texas Tech
“I’ve been a Tech fan my whole life,” he said. “I have a bunch of former teammates that play there. My family is a Tech family and it would be really cool to go play there … [former Episcopal teammates] Giovonni Pancotti and Jake Levrier are there and they say they love it.”
RIVALS REACTION
This spring will be a big one for Bayouth, who dipped his toes in some camps and events last offseason, but still showed a lot of rawness as a player. Now, having bulked up more with another season on the field under his belt, he should see some more significant interest from programs heading into his senior season.
