On Wednesday night, Louisiana Tech transfer John Locke III announced his commitment to the Sooners via his social media accounts. Locke is considered a three-star recruit and the No. 24 overall tight end in the portal.
Oklahoma has added another player to its tight end roster.
On Wednesday night, John Locke III, a transfer from Louisiana Tech, announced his commitment to the Sooners on social media. A three-star recruit, Locke is ranked as the No. 24 tight end in the transfer portal. He brings significant size, standing at 6-foot-5 and weighing 250 pounds. Throughout his career, he has appeared in 26 games and has two years of eligibility left. Locke joins the Sooners as a preferred walk-on.
He entered the transfer portal on December 4 and received numerous offers from Southern Utah, Rhode Island, Tennessee Tech, San Diego, Montana, Houston Christian, Sacramento State, New Mexico, Kent State, and Richmond.
Locke connected with the Sooners at the end of December, and negotiations moved quickly. Last Thursday, he announced that he received an offer from Oklahoma.
While his catching statistics are limited, as most of his contributions have come from blocking, he did play in 11 games this season, catching one pass for two yards against NC State. In 2023, he participated in 12 games and recorded two receptions for four yards, including his first career touchdown on a three-yard pass during a game against New Mexico State. In 2022, Locke saw action in three games, which allowed him to redshirt.
Coming from O’Connor High School in Helotes, Texas, in the 2022 recruiting class, Locke was also evaluated as a three-star prospect. He was ranked as the No. 129 tight end and the No. 269 overall recruit in Texas. Locke committed to Louisiana Tech on January 22, 2022.
In 2024, Oklahoma concluded its season with Bauer Sharp, a former transfer tight end, leading the team in receiving yards. Sharp accumulated 324 yards, despite some mistakes and ongoing issues with blocking. He has since transferred to LSU, leaving a significant gap at tight end as veteran Jake Roberts has exhausted his eligibility this season.
Locke is joining a tight end group that has recently welcomed two other transfers: Carson Kent from Kennesaw State and Will Huggins from Pittsburg State. He will be part of a roster that includes Kaden Helms, Kade McIntyre, Davon Mitchell, and Hampton Fay (a walk-on).
Locke comes from a family with a football background, as his father played on the offensive line at Texas Tech and his brother was a wide receiver at Wyoming.
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