Tay Lockett, the No. 141 player in the class of 2026, has been committed to Arkansas since August 24, 2023, meaning he's seen up close the struggles the Razorbacks have been through since the 2023 season started.
Through it all, though, the Bellflower, California, product has not only been locked in, but has been trying to recruit fellow elite athletes to join him.
The four-star St. John Bosco defender was on campus this past weekend and brought several California recruits with him. He told HawgBeat it was a good chance to come back to the campus and check out the spring scrimmage.
"Just getting to hang out with the coaches again," Lockett said. "Talk to a lot of the players, get their input overall on the school to see how the people who have been there for a while like it, and how the early enrollees are liking it."
The visit for Lockett — who was joined by 2025 three-star wide receiver Dreyden Garner. 2025 four-star wide receiver LaMason Waller and 2026 defensive back Deon Jackson — began in Greenwood, where they hung out with 2026 four-star quarterback Kane Archer and his brother Cash, a three-star linebacker in the 2025 class.
While hanging out, the athletes got in some time on the football field. Lockett said it was the first time seeing Kane in person, and his game was impressive.
"They got a lot of southern hospitality and treated me and my friends really good," Lockett said. "Kane is a really cool guy, he throws the football like a missile. It's something crazy."
From there, the gang headed to Fayetteville bright and early, and sat in on the team meetings and walkthroughs. After that they had the chance to talk to the coaches and tour the facilities.
"I came with some new people who hadn't ever been there, so we toured the Jones Center," Lockett said. "Just to get the guys familiar with it. It was cool."
It's no secret the Razorbacks have some rebuilding to do, and the coaching staff told Lockett they intend to do that by the time he gets on campus.
"They were just telling me that they can't wait for me to get up there," Lockett said. "Just to trust and believe that they're only going to be building upwards. So I'm looking forward to this season."
Lockett said Fayetteville already feels like home for him, but he wants more of his teammates and friends on the West Coast to join him.
"Bringing some of the guys with me, that was even better, and to get them around the environment, they definitely enjoyed it," Lockett said. "Being in the SEC, being in the south, it was a very good experience."
On the field, Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green stuck out to Lockett, but the defense — specifically defensive back Hudson Clark — looked strong to him as well.
"Obviously, you can't bring down the quarterback (in practice), but you could just see he moves very efficient, he's fast," Lockett said. "The defense, they just hit. They swarm and punish. (Hudson) Clark, I didn't know what to think of Hud Clark, and then I went and saw him play. I was like, 'Okay, he's the truth.'"
While Lockett is still committed to Arkansas, that isn't stopping other schools from recruiting him hoping for a flip. He said Tennessee, Ohio State, Georgia and Oregon are hitting him up regularly. They're trying to sell him on developing and being a part of a winning program. He likes the prospects of playing early at Arkansas, though.
"I'm never shying down from a competition," Lockett said. "But it doesn't really make sense to go to a school like that when I want to go play early."
Through it all, though, the Bellflower, California, product has not only been locked in, but has been trying to recruit fellow elite athletes to join him.
The four-star St. John Bosco defender was on campus this past weekend and brought several California recruits with him. He told HawgBeat it was a good chance to come back to the campus and check out the spring scrimmage.
"Just getting to hang out with the coaches again," Lockett said. "Talk to a lot of the players, get their input overall on the school to see how the people who have been there for a while like it, and how the early enrollees are liking it."
The visit for Lockett — who was joined by 2025 three-star wide receiver Dreyden Garner. 2025 four-star wide receiver LaMason Waller and 2026 defensive back Deon Jackson — began in Greenwood, where they hung out with 2026 four-star quarterback Kane Archer and his brother Cash, a three-star linebacker in the 2025 class.
While hanging out, the athletes got in some time on the football field. Lockett said it was the first time seeing Kane in person, and his game was impressive.
"They got a lot of southern hospitality and treated me and my friends really good," Lockett said. "Kane is a really cool guy, he throws the football like a missile. It's something crazy."
From there, the gang headed to Fayetteville bright and early, and sat in on the team meetings and walkthroughs. After that they had the chance to talk to the coaches and tour the facilities.
"I came with some new people who hadn't ever been there, so we toured the Jones Center," Lockett said. "Just to get the guys familiar with it. It was cool."
It's no secret the Razorbacks have some rebuilding to do, and the coaching staff told Lockett they intend to do that by the time he gets on campus.
"They were just telling me that they can't wait for me to get up there," Lockett said. "Just to trust and believe that they're only going to be building upwards. So I'm looking forward to this season."
Lockett said Fayetteville already feels like home for him, but he wants more of his teammates and friends on the West Coast to join him.
"Bringing some of the guys with me, that was even better, and to get them around the environment, they definitely enjoyed it," Lockett said. "Being in the SEC, being in the south, it was a very good experience."
On the field, Arkansas quarterback Taylen Green stuck out to Lockett, but the defense — specifically defensive back Hudson Clark — looked strong to him as well.
"Obviously, you can't bring down the quarterback (in practice), but you could just see he moves very efficient, he's fast," Lockett said. "The defense, they just hit. They swarm and punish. (Hudson) Clark, I didn't know what to think of Hud Clark, and then I went and saw him play. I was like, 'Okay, he's the truth.'"
While Lockett is still committed to Arkansas, that isn't stopping other schools from recruiting him hoping for a flip. He said Tennessee, Ohio State, Georgia and Oregon are hitting him up regularly. They're trying to sell him on developing and being a part of a winning program. He likes the prospects of playing early at Arkansas, though.
"I'm never shying down from a competition," Lockett said. "But it doesn't really make sense to go to a school like that when I want to go play early."
