Tyler Lockett Seeks to Prove He’s Not Just a Slot Receiver

Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett is one of the players that really stood out during practices at the Reese’s Senior Bowl this week. He is not the biggest receiver, measuring in at 5-9 180 pounds but he is a versatile weapon that NFL teams have shown plenty of interest in. Some have placed the small receiver label on Lockett and have mistaken pigeon holed him into the slot receiver category. Lockett is a very intelligent receiver and has all of the quicks that are needed to win on the outside as well. For the youngest Lockett, “it’s just football.”

“It’s not a big transition at all. It’s just football. That’s one of the things that my dad (Kevin Lockett,former Kansas St star WR and member of the Kansas City Chiefs) stressed to me. He told me he treated it bigger than it really was. It took him two years to finally see it’s still football at the end of the day. Transitioning from Kansas State to here hasn’t been a major thing,” Lockett continued: “I  went against a lot of great DBs such as Jason Verrett, Aaron Colvin, Justin Gilbert. Even this year I went against Kevin White, Kevin Peterson. It prepared me to come here. I wanted to be able to see where I was at, what I had to work on to get better.”

The coaching staff has taken to Lockett because of his humility and desire to get better. Lockett said that the South Team head coach, Gus Bradley likes how he always asks the receivers coach how he could get better. One of the things that Lockett needed to prove was that he could win when he lines up outside the numbers. The mentality that “it’s just football” especially applies for Lockett when he is asked to line up outside.

Lockett had a simple explanation for what it takes to excel out wide. “The thing about it is, you have to be able to utilize the strengths that you have. For me it’s quickness, it’s speed, being able to get off at the release, make them think I am going one way when I’m actually going the other way.” Lockett said. He also stood out during the red zone one on ones period. Being highly effective in the red zone is not something that is typical for “smaller receivers.” Lockett knows that the defensive backs like to be physical especially in the red zone. He knows that they will try to grab him. When asked about that, hee smiled and said; “I have to stick to my technique, make sure that I am selling everything and just play ball.”

Here is an example of how Tyler Lockett can excel on the outside in the red zone:

Oh dang https://t.co/lW277VBRbW

— Joe G (@JoeGoodberry) January 22, 2015

If you ask Lockett, he will tell you that he places an emphasis on his route running. He is so shifty at the line of scrimmage and within his routes. He cuts are sharp and sudden which makes it very hard for defenders to redirect him or slow him down. That has been something that really showed up this week. Most of the defensive backs on the South Team have identified Lockett as the hardest receiver to cover.

For Lockett, he has one job, to get open. “I have to be able to get open, make the play a lot easier for the quarterback.” Lockett said. “We learned out here that when they call a play, they are calling for the quarterback to throw it. They are trusting that I will go out there a make the play. So I have to make it.”

A lot of teams told Lockett that they like his toughness and that it’s not just about the size. They told him that he is tough and that he  has heart. Lockett confirmed that the Ravens have met with him. His toughness and heart is sure something that would fit in well with the blue collar Ravens locker room. The NFL is on the horizon for Tyler Lockett. He is set to follow the footsteps of his uncle, Aaron Lockett (Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Fransico 49ers) and his father, Kevin Lockett (Kansas City Chiefs, Washington Redskins, Jacksonville Jaguars and New York Jets).

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