Kevin Lockett
Kevin Lockett (born September 8, 1974) is an American former professional football wide receiver and venture capitalist.[1] Lockett played college football for the Kansas State Wildcats from 1993 to 1996, where he amassed 217 receptions for 3,032 yards and 26 touchdowns, setting school records for career receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns that stood until surpassed by his son Tyler.[2] During his senior year in 1996, he led the Big 12 Conference with 72 receptions, earned first-team All-Big 12 honors, third-team All-American honors (AP), and was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation's top receiver, while in 1995 he was first-team All-Big Eight.[1][3] He was inducted into the K-State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2024.[3] Selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the second round (47th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft, Lockett spent his first four seasons with the Chiefs (1997–2000), followed by stints with the Washington Redskins (2001–2002), Jacksonville Jaguars (2002), and New York Jets (2003).[1] Over 86 games in his eight-year NFL career, he recorded 130 receptions for 1,738 yards and 8 touchdowns, primarily serving as a slot receiver and punt returner.[4] After retiring from football, Lockett earned a BS in accounting and finance from Kansas State University and built a career in finance and entrepreneurship.[5] He served as CFO and COO of the Kansas Bioscience Authority and the Urban Entrepreneur Partnership, a Kauffman Foundation initiative, earning recognition as the 2015 Kansas City Business Journal CFO of the Year.[5] Since 2016, Lockett has been a managing partner and CFO at Fulcrum Global Capital, a Kansas City-based venture capital firm specializing in early-stage investments in agriculture, animal health, and food technology sectors; he also holds board positions at Kansas City University, the University of Kansas Hospital System, and several portfolio companies.[5][6]Early life
Upbringing in Tulsa
Kevin Lockett was born on September 8, 1974, in Tulsa, Oklahoma.[1] Lockett grew up in a supportive family environment shaped by his parents, John and Beatrice Lockett, who met as mathematics majors at St. Augustine's University in Raleigh, North Carolina, and married in 1971 following John's service in Vietnam.[7] John, originally from Shelby, North Carolina, worked as a petroleum engineer after becoming the first in his family to complete college, while Beatrice, from Raleigh, emphasized higher education in her household and later took a position with Shell Oil.[7] The couple relocated to Tulsa, where they raised Kevin and his younger brother Aaron, born in 1978, in a home filled with mementos of family athletic achievements that reinforced a culture of discipline and aspiration.[7] Aaron would later pursue a football career at Kansas State University and in the NFL, echoing the family's emerging legacy in the sport.[7] Tulsa's robust football community during the 1970s and 1980s provided Lockett with early exposure to organized sports, as the city supported strong high school and collegiate programs, including notable successes at the University of Tulsa with a Missouri Valley Conference championship in 1974. Growing up in this environment, Lockett participated in youth leagues for football and basketball, balancing athletic pursuits with rigorous academic expectations set by his parents, who once benched him for earning a D in music class to prioritize studies.[7] The family's middle-class stability, bolstered by their parents' professional roles in the oil industry, allowed access to these opportunities and fostered a student-athlete mindset influenced by North Carolina's athletic heritage and the Locketts' own emphasis on multifaceted development.[7] This foundation in Tulsa's sports-oriented culture helped cultivate Lockett's initial interest in football before his transition to high school athletics.[1]High school career
Kevin Lockett attended Booker T. Washington High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he developed into a standout athlete across multiple sports.[1] Initially focused on basketball, Lockett quit football prior to his sophomore year but was persuaded to return, ultimately excelling as a wide receiver on the gridiron while also participating in basketball and track.[8][9] Lockett played a pivotal role in the Hornets' state championship run during his senior season in 1991.[10] His performance that year earned him first-team all-state honors as a wide receiver, highlighting his speed, hands, and playmaking ability in key games that propelled the team to the title.[10] These accomplishments drew attention from college recruiters, leading to his commitment to Kansas State University, where he enrolled in 1992.[11]College career
Kansas State achievements
Kevin Lockett enrolled at Kansas State University in 1992 and played wide receiver for the Wildcats from 1993 to 1996.[12][3] During his college career, Lockett earned third-team All-American honors in both 1995 and 1996 from the Associated Press and other selectors.[3][13] He was recognized as a first-team all-conference selection in 1995 as part of the Big Eight Conference and again in 1996 after the conference transitioned to the Big 12.[3][14] In his senior year, Lockett was a semifinalist for the Biletnikoff Award, given annually to the nation's top wide receiver. Lockett was also named a First Team Academic All-American in 1995 and 1996.[3][15] Lockett delivered standout performances in key games, including a 72-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter of the 1997 Cotton Bowl against BYU, which gave Kansas State a 15-5 lead; however, BYU rallied for a 19-15 victory.[16][17] He also contributed in earlier bowls, such as the 1993 Copper Bowl (1 reception for 30 yards and 1 touchdown) and the 1995 Holiday Bowl (4 receptions for 41 yards and 1 touchdown), marking his progression as a vital offensive weapon.[18][19] As a core member of the Wildcats under head coach Bill Snyder, Lockett played a pivotal role in the team's offensive resurgence during the mid-1990s, helping Kansas State emerge as a national contender with consistent big-play production that elevated the passing attack.[13][20] His efforts were instrumental in the program's 114 victories during Snyder's tenure from 1992 onward, including multiple bowl appearances.[12]College statistics and records
During his four seasons at Kansas State University from 1993 to 1996, Kevin Lockett established himself as one of the most productive wide receivers in program history, amassing career totals of 217 receptions for 3,032 yards and 26 touchdowns, averaging 14.0 yards per catch.[2] His production peaked in 1995 and 1996, reflecting his role as a primary target in the Wildcats' emerging passing attack under coach Bill Snyder.[11] The following table summarizes Lockett's year-by-year receiving statistics:| Year | Games | Receptions | Yards | Yards per Reception | Touchdowns |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 11 | 50 | 770 | 15.4 | 4 |
| 1994 | 11 | 39 | 583 | 14.9 | 3 |
| 1995 | 11 | 56 | 797 | 14.2 | 13 |
| 1996 | 11 | 72 | 882 | 12.3 | 6 |
| Career | 44 | 217 | 3,032 | 14.0 | 26 |