Kansas State football: 15 best wide receivers in Wildcats history
By John Buhler
Greatest wide receivers in Kansas State football history: 2. Aaron Lockett
Aaron Lockett often gets overlooked by more talented wide receivers in his own family. His older brother Kevin Lockett starred at Kansas State before him from 1993 to 1996. His nephew Tyler Lockett would go on to be a transcendent receiver and return man for K-State from 2011 to 2014.
All that aside, Aaron Lockett was an excellent wideout for the Wildcats in his own right from 1998 to 2001. He did not disappoint in his attempt to fill his big brother’s massive shoes in Manhattan. In 1998, Lockett had 44 receptions for 928 yards and six touchdowns as a freshman. His play as a young player helped K-State quarterback Michael Bishop finish as runner-up for the Heisman Trophy to Texas Longhorns running back Ricky Williams.
As a sophomore in 1999, Lockett had 33 catches for 531 yards and three touchdowns. K-State would go 11-1 and finish No. 6 in the country, the Wildcats’ highest end-of-season ranking to date. Lockett was in for big things in 2000 as a junior for sure.
During his third year with the program, Lockett had 36 catches for 584 yards and two touchdowns. Kansas State would win 11 games in a row for the fourth year in a row, finishing as the No. 9 team in the country after winning the Cotton Bowl Classic over the Tennessee Volunteers.
In what was his last season with K-State, Lockett had 24 catches for 357 yards and three touchdowns. Kansas State went 6-6 that fall, losing the Insight.com Bowl to the Syracuse Orangemen. Lockett finished his college career with 137 catches for 2,400 yards and 14 touchdowns. He ranks fifth, fifth and seventh in those departments in K-State history.
What helps Lockett get to the No. 2 spot are his accolades during his four years at Kansas State. He was a Second-Team All-American as a punt returner in 2000. Lockett returned punts as an upperclassman 54 times for 845 yards and three touchdowns. He was also a four-time All-Big 12 player for the Wildcats, making the first team once, the second team twice and once as an honorable mention. He played two years in the NFL with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the San Francisco 49ers, as well as three years in the CFL with the Ottawa Renegades and the BC Lions.