3 Greatest Kansas State hidden NFL Draft gems since 2000

Last, but not least, my personal favorite player on this list and my favorite former Kansas State Wildcat Tyler Lockett. Now I know some people will say he isn't too much of a steal or hidden gem because early third round is a good spot to be taken, but looking at his career at Kansas State and the records he holds, he should have gone sooner. Pete Carrol thought the same thing and that is why he traded up in the third round to draft Lockett.

Lockett was the best receiver to play at K-State when you look at where he stands in the record books. However, his size, like Darren Sproles, worried NFL teams, which caused his draft stock to go down. Carrol did not see an issue with it as he chose to take Lockett in the third round, which would end up working out very well for the Seahawks.

In his first season with the Seahawks, the teams he has spent his entire career with, Lockett showed all the teams that passed on it that it was a mistake. As a rookie, Lockett played in all 16 games and had 51 receptions for 664 yards and six receiving touchdowns. The Oklahoma native was also used as a return specialist and in his career has returned 145 kicks for a total of 1,078 yards and one touchdown.

In his career in Seattle, Lockett has not been the flashiest receiver like DK Metcalf, but he has been a reliable one with good hands and an amazing toe-tap game. Lockett is known to make the toughest catches look easy, like this one from back in 2019 against the Los Angeles Rams.

Lockett is currently signed through 2025 but is set to be a big cap hit on the Seahawks. An extension could help make both parties happy and keep Seattle fans happy as well since they don't want to lose one of their top receivers. Lockett ended up being a hidden gem that no one knew about in the 2015 draft, except for the Seahawks.

Up Next: