SCOUTING FOR SUPER BOWL TALENT — Patrick Stewart, an Indian Creek graduate, and his wife, Whitney, pose with the Lombardi Trophy. Stewart works as an area scout for the New England Patriots. The Patriots face the Atlanta Falcons in Super Bowl LI tonight in Houston. (Contributed)

HOUSTON — Patrick Stewart knew throughout much of his life that he wanted to be involved with sports as a profession.

He also knew that he wasn’t good enough to make it as a player, so he sought out other avenues.

Those different avenues have led him to now his fourth Super Bowl as a member of the New England Patriots’ scouting department.

Stewart, who is 2000 graduate of Indian Creek, is based in Columbus and works as “an area scout” for the Patriots.

“I’m not really sure how a political science major becomes a football scout,” Stewart joked during a recent interview. “But, it’s worked out well for me, so far. I am definitely fortunate to have the job that I do for the organization that I do.”

Knowing the path he hoped to take, when he arrived at The Ohio State University after graduating from Indian Creek in 2000, he immediately found a way to be involved with the Buckeyes and that led him to the football office.

“I became a student manager and just worked hard at it,” Stewart said.

After graduating from OSU with a degree in political science and earning a 2002 National Championship Ring, Stewart believed he wanted to coach. He worked as a graduate assistant at both Western Carolina and Temple. As those stints wound down, like everyone does shortly out of college, Stewart began sending resumes out in droves.

“I was getting more letters back from NFL teams, but I didn’t realize, at the time, that they were sending me back form letters that they were sending to everyone,” Stewart admitted. “I took a shot in the dark with the Patriots and sent a follow-up letter.”

At the end of that season, which he spent with the Owls, he got a call for an interview with then Patriots General Manager Scott Pioli.

“I interviewed the day before Thanksgiving and they hired me on New Year’s Day,” Stewart recalled. “I was fortunate to have the background that I did since it’s such a highly competitive field.”

And, as they say, the rest is basically history.

Stewart lived in Boston for two years, working in an entry-level position. He then re-located to Texas to work as an area scout before coming back to Boston to work in the pro-scouting department. He did that for three seasons before getting back into the college side.

Stewart and his wife, Whitney, who is a Class of 2003 Indian Creek graduate, flew to Houston from Columbus on Thursday for the weekend. They’ll stay at a hotel near where the team is staying.

“The organization likes to eliminate as many distractions as possible, so the staff and families stay at a different hotel,” Stewart said.

During the game, members of the Patriots’ staff and organization will sit together in one certain section of the stadium.

“Hopefully, it turns out the way the last one did,” Stewart said. “It makes for a long night when it doesn’t.”

As Stewart prepares for his fourth Super Bowl, he owns one ring already and that came after the 2015 season. He’s also been a part of losses in 2008 and 2012 to the New York Giants.

Regardless of tonight’s outcome, the work begins in earnest later this week when the Patriots begin shifting toward the 2017 season and especially the NFL Draft, which is slated for April 27-29 in Philadelphia.

“My wife and I will fly back to Columbus on Monday and then I’ll leave for Foxboro later in the week for meetings,” Stewart said.

Actually, Stewart has already been preparing for the draft. He was recently in Mobile, Ala. for Senior Bowl workouts, attended workouts for the East-West Shrine Game and also was present for drills leading up to the Tropical Bowl.

Those games set the stage for the NFL Combine from Feb. 28 until March 6 in Indianapolis, which then leads into pro days at various universities throughout the country.

During the season, Stewart attends college games.

“Basically, from August until November, we’re working to find out as much about the draft eligible prospects that we can,” Stewart said. “I go to local games where I can drive there and get back on a Saturday.”

Stewart, 35, is responsible for Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Michigan and Delaware.

He spends a lot of time during the season at Ohio State games. Obviously, the Buckeyes have several players who catch scouts’ eyes, but their schedule is also conducive.

“They play a lot of teams that I need to watch also,” Stewart said. “So, that saves me another trip.”

Stewart confirms that it’s not just cliche when you hear that NFL teams will find a good player, regardless of the school he attends.

“Every team does it the same way,” Stewart said. “We work the same angles and scout the same guys. Last year, I went to games at Shepherd, California, Pa. and Slippery Rock. We’ll find the good players.”

Regardless of how many games, workouts or films that are watched, guys still slip through the cracks. And sometimes “can’t miss prospects” simply don’t pan out. Stewart has seen that firsthand.

“I’ve missed on more guys than what I’ve actually found,” Stewart admitted. “I think we all do because it’s not up to (the scouts) on whether or not a guy can make it in the NFL. Because everyone is really, really good, intangibles are the key to making it at our level.”

Though he’s been working in the field for several years now, Stewart is constantly looking for more and more knowledge.

“I will always be learning,” Stewart said. “There are probably people sitting at home who know more about football than I do. A lot of what got me into the evaluation side is because of seeing so much good football in my life.”

Stewart doesn’t just mean the games he sees on a weekly basis or what he witnessed during his years with the Buckeyes.

“I was fortunate enough in high school to be able to watch guys like Billy West, Chucky Hython, Chad Brinker, Quincy Wilson and the list goes on and on,” Stewart said. “I was exposed to it at a good age, so I know what’s good and what’s average. After so much exposure to so many good players, you know what you’re looking for.”

He is the son of Shadyside High School graduates. His father, Court, graduated in 1969, while his mother, the former Sue Powell, graduated in 1970. Both of his parents are retired educators from the Indian Creek school district.

The Stewarts have been married since 2012. The couple has one son, Theo (7 months).