Tyler Lockett Bio
Tyler Deron Lockett (born September 28, 1992) is an American professional football wide receiver for the Las Vegas Raiders of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats and was selected by the Seattle Seahawks in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft. Lockett is widely recognized for his skills as both a wide receiver and a return specialist, setting multiple Kansas State records during his college career and becoming one of the most productive pass catchers in Seahawks history.
Early Life and Background
Tyler Deron Lockett was born on September 28, 1992, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Nicole Edwards and Kevin Lockett. His father Kevin played wide receiver at Kansas State from 1993 to 1996, where he became the school’s all-time leading receiver at the time. Kevin went on to play for four NFL teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs. Tyler’s uncle, Aaron Lockett, also played wide receiver at Kansas State from 1998 to 2001, finishing as the program’s fourth all-time leading receiver and second all-time leading punt returner, and he won a Grey Cup with the BC Lions in 2006. Tyler’s younger brother, Sterling, later committed to Kansas State as part of the 2022 recruitment class.
Lockett grew up in Tulsa and attended Barnard Elementary, Carver Middle School, and Booker T. Washington High School. He was a three-sport standout in football, basketball, and track and field. As a sophomore, he helped lead the Booker T. Washington Hornets to the school’s first football OSSAA championship in 24 years. During his junior season, he played through a broken wrist that was initially misdiagnosed as a severe sprain, and his senior year the team compiled a 13–1 record and won the 2010 OSSAA 5A championship. He was voted All-State by the Oklahoma Coaches Association as a defensive back and Class 5A All-State as a wide receiver, and he was invited to the state East–West All-Star game.
In addition to football, Lockett was a top competitor in basketball and track. His basketball team won the 2011 OSSAA 5A Championship, and in track and field he was one of the state’s top sprinters, capturing a regional title in the 100-meter dash with a time of 10.85 seconds and earning third-place finishes in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the 5A state finals. He was regarded as a three-star recruit and was ranked among the top players in Oklahoma, choosing Kansas State over a scholarship offer from Kansas.
Path to American Football
Lockett received an athletic scholarship to attend Kansas State University, where he played for head coach Bill Snyder’s Kansas State Wildcats football team from 2011 to 2014. Snyder had also coached his father and uncle during their time in the program, and receivers coach Michael Smith coached all three members of the Lockett family. Lockett arrived with hopes of redshirting to add muscle mass but instead played as a true freshman.
As a freshman in 2011, Lockett earned Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year honors and was recognized as a first-team All-American as a kickoff returner despite missing the final three games of the regular season with a lacerated kidney. In 2012, he was an honorable mention All-Big 12 selection as both a wide receiver and a returner. The 2013 season brought first-team All-Big 12 recognition, and in 2014 he surpassed his father’s school career records for receiving yards, receptions, and receiving touchdowns while earning consensus All-American status as a punt returner.
Lockett finished his college career with 249 receptions for 3,710 yards and 29 receiving touchdowns, plus major contributions as a returner, totaling 6,586 career all-purpose yards and 35 touchdowns. He was the 2014 NCAA punt return average leader and the Big 12 Conference leader in receiving yards in his senior season. He received the Jet Award, was the Big 12 Football Scholar-Athlete of the Year, and was selected to play in the 2015 Senior Bowl.
Tyler Lockett Career
Early Career (2015)
The Seattle Seahawks selected Lockett 69th overall in the third round of the 2015 NFL draft, trading multiple picks to move up to that selection. In his first NFL appearance, a preseason opener against the Denver Broncos, he returned a kickoff 103 yards for a touchdown, the first touchdown of the preseason for Seattle. In his regular season debut against the St. Louis Rams, he returned a punt 57 yards for a touchdown on his first career return, signaling the start of an immediate impact rookie year.
Lockett became the second rookie in league history to win multiple Special Teams Player of the Month awards, earning recognition for September 2015 and for December/January 2015. He joined Gale Sayers as the only rookies to record at least five receiving touchdowns, a punt return touchdown, and a kickoff return touchdown, and he was the only rookie named to the AP All-Pro First Team. He was also selected to the 2016 Pro Bowl, one of only three rookies so honored, and to the Pro Football Writers Association NFL All-Rookie Team at three positions.
Seattle Seahawks Breakthrough (2016–2024)
Lockett remained a featured member of the Seahawks special teams units and receiver rotation through 2016 and 2017, earning second-team All-Pro recognition from the Associated Press in both seasons. He suffered a fractured right tibia and fibula in December 2016 and was placed on injured reserve, but he returned to lead the Seahawks in receiving in 2018 with 57 receptions for 965 yards and 10 touchdowns, all career highs at that point. In 2018, when targeted by quarterback Russell Wilson, Wilson produced a perfect 158.3 passer rating, a unique achievement in NFL history among receivers targeted more than 15 times.
In 2019, Lockett became a starting wide receiver and surpassed 1,000 receiving yards for the first time, finishing with 82 receptions for 1,057 yards and eight touchdowns. He repeated the 1,000-yard mark in 2020, highlighted by a career-high 15 receptions for 200 yards and three touchdowns against the Arizona Cardinals, and again in 2021 with 100 catches for 1,054 yards and 10 touchdowns. In 2022, he added 84 receptions for 1,033 yards and nine touchdowns, capping four straight 1,000-yard seasons that placed him among the most productive pass catchers in franchise history.
After restructuring his contract in March 2024, Lockett finished the 2024 season with 49 receptions for 600 yards and two touchdowns in his tenth season with the Seahawks. He left Seattle ranked second in franchise history in receptions (661), receiving yards (8,594), and receiving touchdowns (61), trailing only Pro Football Hall of Famer Steve Largent. He was released by the Seahawks on March 5, 2025, ending a decade-long tenure with the organization.
Tennessee Titans and Las Vegas Raiders Era (2025)
On April 23, 2025, Lockett signed a one-year contract worth $4 million with the Tennessee Titans. In seven appearances, including one start, he logged 10 receptions for 70 yards and added an offensive fumble recovery touchdown in the Titans’ 22–21 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals. On October 20, 2025, he requested and was granted his release from Tennessee. One week later, on October 27, 2025, Lockett signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, where he continues his career.
Driving Style and Strengths
Lockett is known for his precise route running, dependable hands, and exceptional body control at the sideline and in the back of the end zone, including signature toe-tapping catches. He combines technical skill as a receiver with elite return ability, allowing him to influence games in multiple phases. His chemistry with Russell Wilson, especially in 2018, produced historically efficient quarterback play whenever he was targeted.
Notable Events and Milestones
Lockett’s 2015 debut featured a 103-yard preseason kickoff return touchdown, a 57-yard punt return touchdown in his first regular season game, and a 105-yard kickoff return against the Chicago Bears that set a franchise record. In 2020, he set a career high with 15 receptions and 200 receiving yards against the Arizona Cardinals, and in 2018 he helped engineer a Wild Card Round performance of four catches for 120 yards against the Dallas Cowboys. He surpassed his father’s Kansas State career records in receiving yards, receptions, and receiving touchdowns during his senior season in 2014.
Tyler Lockett Career Wins
Tyler Lockett’s career highlights include the 2016 Pro Bowl, the 2015 AP All-Pro First Team selection, two AP All-Pro Second Team selections, and the PFWA All-Rookie Team at three positions. He earned a 2015 NFC Special Teams Player of the Month award for September and another for December/January, becoming the second rookie to win the award twice. He was also recognized in 2017 as the NFL’s kickoff return yards leader.
Seattle Seahawks Highlights
With the Seahawks, Lockett earned four consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2019 through 2022 and finished his Seattle career second in franchise history in receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns behind Steve Largent. He made the 2016 Pro Bowl as a rookie, set a Seahawks single-game punt return yardage record of 139 yards in 2015, and signed a four-year, $69.2 million extension with $37 million guaranteed on April 2, 2021.
Other Wins and Performances
At Kansas State, Lockett earned consensus All-American status in 2014, won the Jet Award, and was a two-time Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year. He was the 2014 Big 12 Conference leader in receiving yards and the NCAA leader in punt return average, and he was inducted into the Kansas State Wildcats Ring of Honor for his contributions to the program.
Tyler Lockett Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Lockett was raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in one of the most storied football families in Kansas State history. His father, Kevin Lockett, played wide receiver for the Wildcats from 1993 to 1996 and went on to play for four NFL teams, including the Kansas City Chiefs. His uncle, Aaron Lockett, also played at Kansas State and in the Canadian Football League, winning a Grey Cup with the BC Lions in 2006. His younger brother, Sterling, committed to Kansas State as part of the 2022 recruitment class, continuing the family’s connection to the program under head coach Bill Snyder.
Personal Life
Lockett is a Christian and has publicly shared that he chose to abstain from sex until marriage. He is also a published poet, releasing a book of poems titled Reflection in 2019. Beyond football, he earned his real estate license in 2022 and works as a real estate agent in Washington and Texas. Lockett is married.
2025 Season Performance
Tyler Lockett began the 2025 season with the Tennessee Titans after signing a one-year, $4 million contract in April, joining a Titans team rebuilding its offensive identity. In seven appearances, including one start, he produced 10 receptions for 70 scoreless receiving yards and added an offensive fumble recovery touchdown in a 22–21 comeback victory over the Arizona Cardinals. On October 20, 2025, after the Titans’ slow offensive start, he requested and was granted his release, ending a brief stint in Tennessee.
On October 27, 2025, Lockett signed with the Las Vegas Raiders, linking up with a young Raiders offense in need of veteran leadership at receiver. The move gave him an opportunity to contribute as both a possession target and a return specialist while mentoring a developing receiving corps. His contract is reported as a one-year deal with a base value of $4 million, running through the 2026 league year.
For the remainder of the 2025 season, Lockett’s outlook centers on adjusting to a new offensive scheme, building timing with his Raiders quarterback, and providing stability in the return game. Given his track record of four straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons from 2019 to 2022, even a smaller role with Las Vegas could yield valuable production. His experience and special teams value position him as a potential late-season difference-maker for the Raiders.