After turning down a chance to follow in his father’s cleats, Westlake linebacker Bryce Hager committed to Baylor University following a weekend visit to the Waco campus.

Hager earned Class 5A first-team all-state honors after finishing with 158 tackles, including eight sacks and 15 tackles for losses. He also broke up seven passes, intercepted a pass and recovered three fumbles, including one for a touchdown.

The 6-foot-1-inch, 215-pound Westlake senior also ran for 13 touchdowns for the state-finalist Chaps, but his status as a full-time inside linebacker drew the attention of college scouts.

Those scouts, including coaches from the University of Texas staff, who offered Hager a preferred walk-on status. Hager’s father, Britt, had an all-American career as a linebacker at Texas.