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Big Ten Program Attempts to Poach Longtime Hogs' Commit

Razorbacks' 2026 safety commit still fielding offers from teams around country, visits Big Ten program

Jacob Davis

Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on the sidelines against UAB at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.
Arkansas Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman on the sidelines against UAB at Razorback Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark. / Nilsen Roman-Hogs on SI Images
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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Two-time Max Preps All-American Tay Lockett has been committed to the Arkansas Razorbacks as a high school freshman in August 2023, their first pledge for the 2026 class.

As programs around the country gear up for the final nine month stretch to assemble their high school recruiting classes, UCLA is attempting to pluck Lockett away and keep the state's Top 60 player close to home. The Bruins offered him March 7 and he made an official visit March 8.

An Arkansas native, Lockett moved out west to California at a young age and became a highly sought defensive back with 41 scholarship offers. During an interview last year, Lockett expressed how easy it was to represent the Razorbacks on a national scale because of the defensive coaching staff.

“Being from California but choosing Arkansas was pretty easy over time,” Lockett told Hogs on SI last January. “Relationships I have built with Coach [Travis} Williams and Coach {Marcus] Woodson has made everything so much easier on me being more comfortable and having trust in those coaches into developing me into the player and man I want to become.”

Despite being committed this long, teams continued to reach out and offer Lockett, who is currently rated as a 3-star safety, the No. 593 overall prospect in his class and No. 47 ranked safety. There shouldn't be too much to worry about for Arkansas fans as his social media feed is still full of Razorbacks content including offers and fellow 2026 commitments.

UCLA has added a bit of Arkansas flavor to its roster via the transfer portal this offseason in defensive end Nico Davillier and wide receiver Jaedon Wilson. The Razorbacks' nine-man recruiting class is currently ranked No. 3 in the SEC, No. 11 nationally, according to 247sports.

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Jacob Davis
JACOB DAVIS

Jacob Davis is a reporter for Arkansas Razorbacks on SI, with a decade of experience covering high school and transfer portal recruiting. He has previously worked at Rivals, Saturday Down South, SB Nation and hosted podcasts with Bleav Podcast Network where his show was a finalist for podcast of the year. Native of El Dorado, he currently resides in Central Arkansas with his wife and daughter.