In college, he set numerous Kansas State football records and was both a2011 All-American (as akickoff returner) and2014 College Football All-America Team consensus All-American selection (as apunt returner). In college, he totaled 6,586 careerall-purpose yards and 35touchdowns, including 3,710 yards and 29 touchdowns as a receiver. In his freshman college season for the2011 Wildcats, Lockett was anAll-Americanreturn specialist, despite being injured after nine games and missing the rest of the season. In 2012, he was an honorable mention All-Big 12 Conference performer for the2012 team. In 2013, he was a first team All-Big 12 performer for the2013 team at both wide receiver and all-purpose receiver. That season, he established school records for single-game receiving yards, single game all-purpose yards and career kickoff return yards. As a senior for the2014 team, he surpassed his father's school career records for receiving yards,receptions and receiving touchdowns. As a senior, he was the Big 12 Conference leader in receiving yards and the national leader in punt return average.
Lockett was selected by the Seattle Seahawks 69th overall in the third round of the2015 NFL draft. In his first season, he was theNFC Special Teams Player of the Month for September, scoring both a punt and kickoff return touchdown in his first three games. He became the second rookie to win multiple Special Teams Player of the Month awards and was the only rookie to be named 1st team All-Pro for the2015 NFL season. He was also selected to the 2015Pro Football Writers Association (PFWA) NFL All-Rookie Team at three positions. Lockett became a starting wide receiver and amassed over 1,000 receiving yards in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. Lockett's totals of 8,594 receiving yards, 661 receptions and 61 receiving touchdowns are second in franchise history, behind onlySteve Largent.
Lockett was born inTulsa, Oklahoma,[1] to Nicole Edwards andKevin Lockett, who played at Kansas State from1993 to1996, was the school's all-time leadingreceiver before being passed by his son, and also played in the NFL, for theKansas City Chiefs and three other teams. His uncleAaron played for Kansas State from1998 to2001, was their fourth all-time leading receiver and second all-time leadingpunt returner, and won aGrey Cup with theBC Lions in 2006.[2] Aaron also holdsBig 12 Conference records and set the school record in the60 meters.[3][4] His younger brother, Sterling, committed to Kansas State for their 2022 recruitment class.[5] Kansas State head coachBill Snyder had coached his father and uncle.[6]
He attended Barnard Elementary, Carver Middle School, and thenBooker T. Washington High School in Tulsa,[1] where he was a three-sport star infootball,basketball, andtrack and field. He helped lead the Booker T. Washington Hornets toOklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) championships in both football and basketball. As a sophomore, he made several notable contributions to the team on its way to the school's first football OSSAA championship in 24 years. As a junior, Lockett played most of the year with a broken wrist that had at first been diagnosed as a severe sprain. He suffered the injury in the second game of the football season and did not have a screw put in his wrist until after the basketball season ended.[7] Booker T. Washington compiled a 13–1 record and won the 2010 OSSAA 5A championship in football his senior year.[1][8] Lockett played several positions in high school,[6] and he was voted All-State by the Oklahoma Coaches Association as adefensive back and Class 5A All-State as awide receiver.[9] His All-State selection got him invited to the state East–West All-Star game.[10]
In addition to football, Lockett also was a top competitor in basketball and track. In basketball, his team reached the state championship game,[11] where Booker T. Washington defeatedEl Reno High School 72–59 to win the 2011 OSSA 5A Championship.[12] He was voted to the all-tournament second team.[13] In track & field, Lockett was one of the state's topsprinters. He captured a regional title in the100-meter dash at the 2011 State 5A Regional, placing first with a time of 10.85 seconds.[14] He earned third-place finishes in both the 100-meter dash (10.95 s) and the200-meter dash (21.90 s) at the 5A state finals.[15]
Regarded as a three-star recruit byRivals.com, Lockett was ranked as the number 16 player in the state of Oklahoma,[16] and the No. 170 nationally byESPN.com.[17] According toScout.com, he was ranked as the No. 115cornerback in the nation.[18] He was rated as the 16th best high school football player in the state of Oklahoma class of 2011 by Rivals.com,[19] the 115th best cornerback in the national class of 2011 by Scout.com,[20] and the 170th best wide receiver in the class by ESPN.com.[17] He chose Kansas State over a scholarship offer fromKansas.
Lockett had hoped toredshirt during the2011 season, his freshman year, so that he could gain muscle mass in the weight room,[22] but he played as atrue freshman. He got off to a modest start. Lockett only recorded fourreceptions for 50 yards, three rushes for nine yards, one kickoff return for ten yards, and two punt returns for a total of 13 yards in his first five games through October 8.[23] Things started to turn around on October 15 when he posted a 100-yard return of akickoff for a touchdown againstTexas Tech.[24] Over the ensuing weeks, he earned numerousBig 12 Conference honors for the 2011 team, including becoming a two-time Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week. His first Player of the Week recognition came on October 24 after he produced a 251-yardall-purpose yards performance on October 22 againstKansas in theGovernor's Cup that included a 97-yard kickoff return touchdown while becoming the first player in school history to return kickoffs fortouchdowns in consecutive games and having a career-high five-reception, 110-yard receiving day.[25][26] His other Player of the Week recognition that season came on November 7 after a 315-yard all-purpose yard November 5 game againstOklahoma State that included an 80-yard kickoff return and three rushes for 84 yards as well as three receptions for 32 yards and a touchdown.[27][28][29] Due to what was at first an undisclosed injury,[30] he did not play in the final three games of Kansas State's regular season.[23] Later, the injury was determined to be a laceratedkidney.[31] In the four games before the injury, he had at least three receptions and 125 all-purpose yards in each game.[23]
He was the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year, a second-team All-Big 12 selection as a kickoff returner/punt returner, and an honorable mention selection as a wide receiver.[32] He was a first-teamAll-American selection bySporting News and theWalter Camp Football Foundation,[33][34] and a second-team All-American selection byCBS Sports andSports Illustrated.[35][36] As a result of the extent of his honors, he was recognized as a consensus All-American by theNCAA.[37] He also picked up numerous All-Freshman honors fromSporting News,Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), CBS Sports,Rivals.com (2nd team) andCollege Football News (honorable mention, WR).[38][39][40][41][42] Lockett failed to play in 75 percent of the Wildcats' games to be eligible to be the NCAA statistical leader for average kickoff return yardage. Although Lockett averaged 35.19 yards per return (16 returns for 563 yards),[43] another freshman,Raheem Mostert ofPurdue, led the NCAA statistical category with a 33.48 average.[44]
Lockett entered the season as a preseason All-Big 12 first team selection by the Big 12 media as a kickoff returner,[45] but ESPN only listed him as an honorable mention selection, giving the first team honor to Oklahoma State'sJustin Gilbert.[46] On September 15, Lockett posted his third career kickoff return touchdown againstNorth Texas, by returning a first quarter kickoff 96 yards.[47] He earned Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Week honors on September 17.[48] On October 20, he posted career highs in receptions (9), receiving yards (194), and receiving touchdowns (2) againstWest Virginia, giving him the fifth highest single-game receiving yardage total in school history.[49][50][51] His fourth career kickoff return touchdown occurred on November 3 againstOklahoma State.[50][52] This earned Lockett another Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.[53] On November 15, Lockett earned a second team Academic All-Big 12 selection.[54] Lockett was a 2012 All-Big 12 honorable mention selection both at wide receiver and special teams.[55] He was also an honorable mention All-American return specialist selection bySports Illustrated.[56]
Prior to the 2013 season, Lockett was recognized as a 2013 Allstate/American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Good Works Team nominee.[57] He opened the season with 7 receptions for 113 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown pass, againstNorth Dakota State on August 30.[58] The following week, he added 111 yards againstLouisiana–Lafayette on 8 receptions.[59] On September 21, he connected with quarterbackJake Waters for 13 receptions for 237 yards againstTexas in the2013 Big 12 Conference season opener and had an additional 96 return yards on kickoffs.[60] 237 receiving yards is a Kansas State single-game record,[61] surpassingJordy Nelson's 214 yards againstIowa State on November 3, 2007.[62][63] This receiving yardage total was the 2nd highest in the first four weeks of the season behindTexas A&M wideout Mike Evans' 297 yards.[64] Lockett suffered a hamstring injury in the first half of the October 5 contest againstOklahoma State.[65] He returned to the lineup on October 26, to post three touchdowns and 111 yards on 8 receptions and help Kansas State achieve its first Big 12 win of the season againstWest Virginia.[66] On November 16, Lockett posted 8 receptions for 123 yards, including a 74-yard touchdown reception againstTCU.[67] One week later, Lockett caught 12 passes for 278 yards and 3 touchdowns againstOklahoma. He also returned 5 kickoffs for 162 yards.[68] Lockett broke his own Kansas State single-game record for receiving yards and surpassedDarren Sproles for the Kansas State single-gameall-purpose yards record (440).[69][70] Lockett was named the Big 12 Conference Special Teams Player of the Week on November 25 upon becoming the all-time Kansas state leader in career kickoff return yards with 1,780. His 278 single-game receiving yards was fourth in Big 12 history and his 440 single-game all-purpose yards ranked second in Big 12 history and fifth in FBS history.[71][72] Following the season, he was recognized as an All-Big 12 Conference first team selection as both a wide receiver and an all-purpose player.[73] FWAA named him second team All-American at wide receiver andSports Illustrated gave him honorable mention All-American recognition as an all-purpose player.[74][75] In the December 28,2013 Buffalo Wild Wings Bowl, Lockett had 10 receptions for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns against Michigan.[76] Lockett's performance marked the most receptions by any receiver in aBuffalo Wild Wings Bowl and the most receptions in a Bowl game by a Kansas State receiver.[77]
Lockett entered his senior season as a preseason All-Big 12 selection as well as aWalter Camp Award,Maxwell Award,Paul Hornung Award, andBiletnikoff Award watchlist candidate.[78][79][80][81][82] On September 25, he was named one of 62 FBS semifinalists for theWilliam V. Campbell Trophy.[83] He posted his first 100-yard game of the season againstIowa State on September 6, in Kansas State's second game when he tallied 136 receiving yards on 6 receptions.[84] On September 18, he was named one of 30 candidates for theSenior CLASS Award.[85] On September 27, Lockett posted two 50-plus-yardpunt returns including a 58-yard touchdown againstUTEP.[86] On September 29, Lockett earned his sixth career Big 12 player of the week recognition when he was named Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week.[87][88] The following week, he posted 12 receptions for 125 yards and 2 touchdowns againstTexas Tech on October 4, and he added 103 yards on 8 receptions againstTexas on October 25.[89][90] On October 30, he earned an $18,000 postgraduate scholarship as one of 16 finalists for the Campbell Trophy.[91] On November 8, he posted 196 yards and a touchdown on 11 receptions against #6TCU.[92] The effort boosted Lockett's career receiving yardage total to 3,073 yards, surpassing his father's school record total of 3,032 set in 1996.[93] Then, he was named as one of 10 finalists for the Senior CLASS Award and one of 10 semi-finalists for the Biletnikoff Award.[94][95] On November 20, he was recognized as a first team Academic All-Big 12 honoree.[96] Lockett had 10 receptions for 196 yards and a 43-yard punt return touchdown againstWest Virginia on November 20 and nine receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns againstKansas on November 29.[97][98] In theKansas–Kansas State rivalry game, Lockett passed his father's school record for receptions and tied his school record for touchdown receptions.[98] In his final regular season game against #5Baylor, Lockett posted 14 receptions for 158 yards and a touchdown, which gave him 27 career touchdown receptions and broke a tie with his father for the school record. With just a bowl game remaining, Lockett's career total of 3,546 receiving yards ranked sixth in Big 12 Conference history.[99] He added 13 receptions for 164 receiving yards and two touchdowns againstUCLA in the2015 Alamo Bowl.[100] In the game, Lockett had a 41-yard punt return and had a 72-yard punt return touchdown negated due to a holding penalty.[101][102][103] He establishedAlamo Bowl records for receptions (13) and all-purpose yards (249).[104] He was recognized as the game's Sportsmanship MVP.[105]
On December 10, the Big 12 coaches selected Lockett as a repeat All Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year and as a first team wide receiver.[106] ESPN selected Lockett as the All-Big 12 first team all purpose player while theAssociated Press (AP) named him a first team All-Big 12 wide receiver.[107][108] Lockett was an all-purpose first team selection to the2014 College Football All-America Team by ESPN,[109] CBS Sports,[110] Scout.com,[111]American Football Coaches Association,[112] andSports Illustrated.[113] He was a first team punt returner selection by theFootball Writers Association of America.[114] He was a second team selection byUSA Today at wide receiver,[115]Walter Camp Foundation at return specialist,[116] and AP as an all-purpose player.[117] He earned the school's eleventh consensus All-American recognition.[118] Lockett was selected to play in the2015 Senior Bowl.[119] He was recognized as the 2014 Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year.[120] He was recognized as one of five First team Senior All-Americans from the 2014 Senior CLASS Award candidates.[121] Lockett was recognized with theJet Award.[122]
Lockett finished his college career with 249 receptions for 3,710 yards and 29 touchdowns as a receiver; 77 kickoff returns for 2,196 yards and 4 touchdowns; 32 punt returns for 488 yards and 2 touchdowns; and 22 rushes for 192 yards as well as 6 careertackles. This totals 6,586 career All-purpose yards.[123] Although theNational Collegiate Athletic Association officially recognizes 1.2 punt returns per game as the qualifying minimum threshold,[124] some sources consider 1 punt return per game as the qualifying minimum, and thus Richard Leonard ofFlorida International is the 2014 punt return average leader by those sources.[125] Lockett's senior season totals led the Big 12 Conference in receiving yards and the nation in punt return average.[126][127]
TheSeattle Seahawks selected Lockett in the third round (69th overall) of the2015 NFL draft.[130] In order to select Lockett, the Seahawks traded their third-, fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-round picks (95th, 112th, 167th, and 181st overall) to theWashington Redskins in order to move up to the #69 pick in order to select Lockett.[131][132][133]
In his first NFL appearance, Lockett returned a 103-yard kickoff for a touchdown against theDenver Broncos in Seattle's preseason opener, marking the first touchdown of the preseason for the team.[134][135] Four weeks later, in his NFL regular season debut, Lockett returned a 57-yard punt for a touchdown on his first career return, against theSt. Louis Rams.[136] He also posted 4 receptions for 34 yards in his debut.[137] The following week, he made his first career regular season start against theGreen Bay Packers.[138] Lockett returned a 105-yard kick return in week 3 against theChicago Bears, setting a new franchise record.[139] His performance for the first three weeks of the season earned him recognition asNational Football Conference (NFC) Special Teams Player of the Month for September 2015.[140] Lockett was the first Seahawks rookie to win the award sinceJoey Galloway.[141] Lockett posted his first career touchdown reception onThursday Night Football against theSan Francisco 49ers on October 22, 2015.[142][143] On November 22 against the 49ers, Lockett scored 2 receiving touchdowns.[144] On December 6 against theMinnesota Vikings who were 8–3 at the time, Lockett had 7 receptions for 90 yards, both new career highs.[145] One week later, Lockett had his first 100-yard receiving game and his second multi touchdown game with 104 yards, and a two-touchdown winning effort against theBaltimore Ravens.[146] Lockett was namedPepsi NFL Rookie of the Week for his performance against the Ravens.[147] On December 22, 2015, Lockett was selected to be part of the2016 Pro Bowl. Lockett was one of only three rookies to be selected to the Pro Bowl, along with Ramsrunning backTodd Gurley andChiefscornerbackMarcus Peters.[148] In the final week of the season on January 3 against theArizona Cardinals, Lockett set up several scores by the Seahawks with long punt returns and receptions.[149] His 139 punt return yards on 4 punt returns set a Seahawks single-game punt return yardage record and earned Lockett NFC special teams player of the week recognition for week 17.[150] Three punt returns of at least 30 yards in the same game had not been accomplished by an NFL returner in at least 10 seasons.[151] For his performance over the last 5 weeks of the season in which he amassed 759 all-purpose yards, he earned the NFC's Special Teams Player of the Month for December/January, making him the second rookie to win the award twice (Tamarick Vanover, 1995). He joinedGale Sayers as the only rookie to record at least 5 receiving touchdowns, a punt return touchdown, and a kickoff return touchdown.[152][153] He was the only rookie to be named to the APAll-Pro 1st team.[154] He was also voted along with teammateThomas Rawls to be in thePro Football Writers Association NFL All-Rookie Team (2015). Lockett was selected to the team at three positions: wide receiver, punt returner, and kickoff returner.[155] For the 2016 Pro Bowl, Lockett was selected byTeam Rice in a fantasy-style draft. At the Pro Bowl, he made one catch for 10 yards and returned one punt for 24 yards.[156]
Lockett finished the2016 season with 41 catches for 597 yards and a touchdown. In addition to his receiving numbers, he had 114 rushing yards including a 75-yard rushing touchdown, which was the longest Seattle run of the season.[157] Lockett suffered a fracture to his right tibia and fibula while making a 28-yard catch in a Week 16 loss to the Cardinals. He had surgery later that night and was placed oninjured reserve on December 27, 2016.[158][159] Following the season, he was named to the2016 All-Pro Second Team by theAssociated Press.[160]
In Week 11, Lockett returned five kickoffs for 197 yards, including a 57-yarder, earning him NFC Special Teams Player of the Week.[161] Following the season, he was namedsecond-team All-Pro by theAssociated Press as a returner.[162] He finished the season with 45 receptions for 555 receiving yards and two receiving touchdowns to go along with 37 kick returns for 949 net return yards and one kick return touchdown.[163]
On August 29, 2018, Lockett signed a three-year, $31.8 million contract extension with the Seahawks through the 2021 season.[164] In the first three games of the season, Lockett totaled 12 receptions for 196 receiving yards. In addition, he recorded a receiving touchdown in each game.[165] He finished the season as the Seahawks leading receiver with 57 receptions for 965 yards and 10 touchdowns, all career highs.[166] When targeted by quarterbackRussell Wilson, Wilson produced a perfect 158.3 passer rating. No other receiver has ever put up a perfect passer rating while being targeted more than 15 times in NFL history.[167] In theWild Card Round of the2018–19 NFL playoffs against theDallas Cowboys, Lockett had four catches for 120 yards in the 24–22 loss.[168] He was ranked 98th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2019.[169]
In Week 1 against theCincinnati Bengals, Lockett only caught one pass in the game; however, it was for 44 yards and a fourth quarter touchdown in the 21–20 win.[170]In Week 3 against theNew Orleans Saints, Lockett caught 11 passes for 154 yards and one touchdown in the 33–27 loss.[171] In Week 5 against the rivalLos Angeles Rams, Lockett caught four passes for 51 yards and a toe-tapping touchdown catch in the back of the endzone in the 30–29 win.[172] In Week 9 against theTampa Bay Buccaneers, Lockett caught 13 passes for 152 yards and two touchdowns in the 40–34 overtime win.[173] In Week 15 against theCarolina Panthers, Lockett caught eight passes for 120 yards and a touchdown during the 30–24 win.[174] Overall, Lockett finished the 2019 season with 82 receptions for 1,057 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.[175]
In theDivisional Round of the playoffs against the Packers, Lockett caught nine passes for 136 yards and a touchdown during the 28–23 loss.[176]
During Week 3 against the Cowboys, Lockett finished with 100 receiving yards and three touchdowns as the Seahawks won 38–31.[179] DuringSunday Night Football against the Cardinals in Week 7, Lockett finished with a career high of 15 receptions for 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns. It was his first single game with at least 200 receiving yards. However, the Seahawks lost in overtime 34–37.[180]In Week 17 against the 49ers, Lockett recorded 12 catches for 90 yards and two touchdowns during the 26–23 win. Lockett's 12th reception of the game was his 100th of the season.[181] Despite finishing second on the team in yards (behindDK Metcalf), Lockett still totaled 100 catches for 1,054 yards and ten touchdowns.[182][183] He was ranked 76th by his fellow players on theNFL Top 100 Players of 2021.[184]
On April 2, 2021, Lockett signed a four-year, $69.2 million contract extension with $37 million guaranteed with the Seahawks.[185][186]
Lockett started off the season with a 100-yard, two-touchdown game in a victory over theIndianapolis Colts and 178-yard, one-touchdown game against theTennessee Titans.[187][188] Over the remainder of the regular season, Lockett had three games going over 100 yards (142, 115, 142). He finished with 73 receptions for 1,175 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns.[189]
In Week 2, against the 49ers, Lockett had nine receptions for 107 yards in the 27–7 loss.[190] In Week 5, against the Saints, he had five receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the 39–32 loss.[191] In Week 13 against the Rams, he had nine receptions for 128 yards in the victory.[192] On December 16, 2022, it was announced that Lockett would undergo surgery to repair a broken bone in his hand.[193] In the 2022 season, Lockett finished with 84 receptions for 1,033 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 games and starts.[194]
In Week 2, Lockett recorded two touchdowns, including the game-winning score, during a 37–31 overtime victory over theDetroit Lions.[195][196] He finished the 2023 season with 79 receptions for 894 yards and five touchdowns in 17 games and starts.[197]
On March 10, 2024, Lockett restructured his contract with the Seahawks, which had two years and $34 million in non-guaranteed money, to a base value of $30 million with $13 million in guaranteed money.[198] "Seattle is home," Lockett said at the time of the restructuring. "Obviously it’s a business and so you've got to kind of look and see what is good for them, you see what's good for yourself, as well. And with everything that I had a chance to be able to do and become, it's really cool that you hear that the staff wants you to be on the team, as well."[199] He finished the 2024 season with 49 receptions for 600 yards and two touchdowns.[200]
On March 5, 2025, Lockett was released by the Seahawks after ten seasons in Seattle.[201]
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