cfb zeitgeistZeitgeist
OFFSEASON · SUMMER 2026 · COMMITMENT SEASON
Heisman / Players / Sterling Lockett /Kansas State

Sterling Lockett

WR · Kansas State · Jr · #6

Below the discourse floor — the honest stats-only state.

39 REC YDS · 3 REC · 0 REC TD

2026 RETURNINGReturning to Kansas State for 2026

2026 Outlook

Returning to Kansas State for 2026

2026 Depth chart

Projected starter

Wide receiver · Kansas State

Returning around him

  • 69% of 2024 offensive production back (Solid continuity)
  • 2 Kansas State players drafted to NFL
  • Transfer portal: -7 net (26 in / 33 out)

2026 Award watch

No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)

Kansas State · Last season: 6-6 (AP #17) · Talent rank #47 · 2026 recruiting class #35

WR · KANSAS STATE · BIG 12

Sterling Lockett

  • 3
  • #6
  • 5-10 | 169 lb
  • Leawood, KS

CFB Zeitgeist Score

14

Below cohort in the position cohort. Carried by yards / catch at the 50th percentile.

Heisman Heat

#2377

<1% win probability

Fan Belief

Awaiting

Player-specific FI not yet ingested. Falls back to team mood below.

Respect Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

Reality Gap

Awaiting

Coming online with player-level FI.

ACCOLADE PROBABILITY

Heisman

<1%

TOP WR AWARD

Biletnikoff

CONSENSUS

All-American

Player Standing · 17 rungs

Tier 2 · Starter

R06 · Starter

Starter. A locked-in starting role.

Not on team2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex

Career Arc

HS
Recruit
★★★
#1561 national
CFB
College
Kansas State
2025
NFL
NFL Draft
Not drafted (yet)

Identity & Role

The durable bio layer: position, size, hometown, and roster role.

PositionWR
Class3
Jersey6
Measurements5-10 | 169 lb
HometownLeawood, KS
Primary teamKansas State

Recruiting Pedigree

How big the prospect was before college, and whether the later career arc beat that expectation.

Top pedigree 3-star No. 1561 recruit
Composite rating 0.8370 HighSchool
Signed with Kansas State 2022
Origin Blue Valley Stilwell, KS, USA
Class Profile Context
2022 3-star | 0.8370 No. 1561 recruit | HighSchool | Kansas State

Transfer Arc

Portal movement changes role, context, and perception. This keeps that path in one place.

Portal moves 0 No portal entry on file
Latest destination -- --
Transfer stars -- CFBD transfer rating context
Eligibility -- Transfer date TBD
Season Move Context
No transfer portal moves on file for this player.

Heisman Lens · 2024 Season · Final

Where the player landed at the end of the listed season — final nowcast rank, win/finalist/ballot probabilities, and the cleanest official Heisman placement on file.

HIGH CONFIDENCE· through week 16
Current nowcast#2377Latest modeled ballot order
Season forecast#2107Where the full season sim points
Win probability0.0%Chance to actually win the trophy
Finalist probability0.0%Chance to make the finalist tier
Ballot probability0.0%Chance to appear anywhere on a ballot
Best official finish--Best completed Heisman placement on file

Heisman Futures

Not yet listed on major futures markets.

No achievements unlocked yet this season.

Selector Grid · 2025

AP
FWAA
AFCA
WCFF
SN
SI

Selector recognition fills in once the major honors lists (AP, FWAA, AFCA, Walter Camp, Sporting News, SI) are scraped and ingested.

NIL · Recruiting · NFL Draft

Market value, pedigree & pro outcome

Recruit stars

★★★☆☆

to Kansas State

Composite

0.8370

#1561 national

Today’s Hot-Take

The Hot-Take engine fires when this player’s percentile profile crosses a defensible threshold (top 10% in a cohort, 100+ snap sample). When it’s quiet, the model is honoring its “must be defensible” rule.

Anti-Take

PENDING

The contrarian read fires when the rules-engine detects a stat that complicates the Hot-Take. Quiet here means the model hasn’t found a defensible counter yet — not that one doesn’t exist.

The Room on Sterling Lockett

Fan sentiment ·

Belief Meter

38

Skeptical

Sample 4 mentions
Confidence LOW

Top Take

Trajectory

Cohort divergence mapbearishbullishheatedcalmOwn fans: 4 mentions · belief -25 · "Kansas State just can’t catch a break. The Wildcats are once again dealing with "Own fans
  • Own fans · n=4

Rival Radar

How rival fanbases talk about Sterling Lockett

No rival-bucket mentions in the current season.

Signature Story

Awaiting candidate metric

He hasn't written his page yet — we'll start filling it in when there are enough snaps to rank against his peers.

Signature Moment

No signature moment on the ledger yet.

Returns once this player puts together a multi-game body of work — single-game flashes alone don't clear the bar.

A 3-act season arc returns once this player has six or more games on the ledger.

Season Pace · Projection

Where the receiving totals stand

projecting to 13-game
Through 10g
39Rec yards
3Receptions
0Rec TDs
Per game
3.9Rec yards
0Receptions
0Rec TDs
Projected (13g)
50.7Rec yards
4Receptions
0Rec TDs

To hit 700-yard receiver (currently 39): needs 220.3/game over remaining 3.

To hit 1,000-yard receiver (currently 39): needs 320.3/game over remaining 3.

To hit 60-catch season (currently 3): needs 19/game over remaining 3.

To hit 80-catch season (currently 3): needs 25.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 8 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 2.7/game over remaining 3.

To hit 10 receiving TDs (currently 0): needs 3.3/game over remaining 3.

What made this player interesting

The fast read on the thing that makes this player more than a generic stat line.

Sterling Lockett's story is about how role and output meet each other. For Kansas State, the card already shows enough current-season production to explain why he is on the serious-player board, and the next layer is determining whether the profile is just very good or actually distinctive.

Current place #2377 0.0% win | 0.0% finalist
Role load 3.2% Overall usage share
Profile quirk Development arc 100 return yds

2025 Season · Final

Traditional stats first. Advanced context underneath.

Last season

WR season snapshot

2025 season snapshot | final

2025 season snapshot | finalData: CFBD player stats + local Heisman modelPeer context: same position + same level
Receptions 3 0 rec TD | #811/1110 (27th pct)
Receiving yards 39 13.0 per catch | #820/1107 (26th pct)
Scrimmage yards 39 Total offensive yardage | #820/1107 (26th pct)
Player identity What kind of player is this?

30-second read

What kind of player is this?

Receiving weapon against FBS receiving peers.

Balanced profile

2025 Season · Final

2025 season snapshot | final

Receiving

REC
3 27th
YDS
39 26th
YPR
13.0 59th
TD
0 45th

Returns

KR YDS
44 44th
KR AVG
22.0 70th
PR YDS
56 56th
PR AVG
4.3 23rd

Game Log · Week-by-week

2025 season · 10 games

Box score · CFBD
WkOppRECYDSAVGTDLONGNote
Wk 1W 38-35vs North Dakota
Wk 2L 21-24vs Army
Wk 3L 17-23@ Arizona
Wk 5W 34-20vs UCF11313.0013
Wk 6L 34-35@ Baylor
Wk 7W 41-28vs TCU
Wk 9W 42-17@ Kansas
Wk 12W 14-6@ Oklahoma State
Wk 13L 47-51@ Utah
Wk 14W 24-14vs Colorado22613.0019Season-high 26 yds
Total33913.0019
Season-by-season tables Career rows + per-season box score

Traditional history

Traditional Stats

Season rows up top, career context at the bottom.

Season rows Career row

Season context · Team result + system

2025Kansas State6-6HC: Chris Klieman · Run-leaning, slow tempo
SeasonTeam
2025Kansas State33913.00--
Career1 loaded season33913.00--
SeasonTeam
2025Kansas State----4456--
Career1 loaded season----4456--
Advanced layer Usage, value, and context

Advanced metrics second

Advanced Metrics

Usage, value, and opponent-adjusted context.

Usage Value Context
Pass share

The player's share of a team's passing-game involvement. It is the fastest way to see whether the receiver is a true focal point or more of a complementary piece.

Role share

A blended workload view that accounts for catches, designed touches, and any return-game involvement that shapes the overall profile.

Peer percentile

Every percentile is compared against players at the same position and level, so an FBS quarterback is judged against FBS quarterbacks, not the whole sport.

Traditional first

The top tables stick to the stats fans already know from broadcasts and box scores. Advanced context is pushed underneath instead of replacing the basics.

Usage 3.2% 8.2% pass-game share | #591/1137 (48th pct)
Return yards 100 0 return TD | #134/238 (44th pct)
Touchdowns 0 Across offense and returns | #615/1111 (45th pct)
Open full stat explorer
0 metrics visible Showing all metrics
Group Metric Value Rank Pct Why it matters
Receiving Receptions 3 #811/1110 27th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving yards 39 #820/1107 26th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving TD 0 #615/1111 45th pct Scoringvs FBS WR
Receiving Yards / catch 13.0 #450/1106 59th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Kick return yards 44 #134/238 44th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Returns Punt return yards 56 #100/224 56th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Usage Pass share 8.2% #591/1137 48th pct Air-game usagevs FBS WR
Receiving Receiving LONG 19 #783/1105 29th pct Metricvs FBS WR
Returns Kick return avg 22.0 #71/236 70th pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Punt returns 13 #47/237 81st pct Volumevs FBS WR
Returns Punt return avg 4.3 #171/222 23rd pct Efficiencyvs FBS WR
Returns Kick returns 2 #132/243 46th pct Volumevs FBS WR
Usage 3rd-down usage 10.5% #198/1137 83rd pct Money-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Passing-down usage 7.9% #397/1137 65th pct Known-passing sharevs FBS WR
Usage Role share 3.2% #727/1137 36th pct Share of team offensevs FBS WR
Usage 2nd-down usage 1.6% #946/1137 17th pct Middle-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage 1st-down usage 1.3% #978/1137 14th pct Early-down loadvs FBS WR
Usage Standard-down usage 0.8% #1063/1137 7th pct Base-situation sharevs FBS WR
Usage Rush share 0.0% #391/1137 66th pct Ground-game usagevs FBS WR
Ball Security Fumbles lost 1 #131/302 57th pct Turnoversvs FBS WR

Player Standing

Universal 17-step ladder. Tier pills below; accolade streams nested.

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION

On-team2-deepStartingRecognizedEliteApex

AWAITING CLASSIFICATION · Rung None of 16

Why he’s here

Standing classification populates when honors, Heisman, and roster signals all align.

What moves him up

What moves him down

Accolade streams

StatusAwaiting tracker

Heisman model tracks the top FBS contenders weekly; this player hasn't entered the watch list yet.

Splits · Per-game

2025 season · 10 games

Home/Road · Win/Loss · Season halves

Home vs Road

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Home5g0.67.813.00.0
Road5g

Win vs Loss

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Wins6g0.56.513.00.0
Losses4g

First half vs Second half

REC/gYDS/gYPRTD/g
Weeks 1-76g0.22.213.00.0
Weeks 8+4g0.56.513.00.0

Pocket and defense-quality (clean vs. pressure) splits are coming soon.

Savant · Box-rate percentiles

Where this profile ranks vs the WR cohort

14Below cohort
6 metrics · season cumulative

Concern: receptions (0th).

Yards / catch#276 / 558 · 50th pct
13.0rece
Fumbles lost#86 / 218 · 36th pct
1fumb
Rec TDs#482 / 558 · 7th pct
0rece
Long catch#543 / 558 · 3rd pct
19rece
Rec yards#558 / 558 · 0th pct
39rece
Receptions#559 / 558 · 0th pct
3rece

Percentiles versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score rates.

Advanced Savant · WR · 2024

Percentile Card

Advanced opponent-adjusted percentile bars are coming soon for this player.

P4G5All FBS
EPA / dropback
awaiting
CPOE
awaiting
Success rate
awaiting
Explosive rate (20+)
awaiting
aDOT
awaiting
Deep-ball accuracy
awaiting
Pressure-to-sack
awaiting
3rd-down EPA
awaiting
Red-zone TD rate
awaiting
Play-action EPA
awaiting
Scramble EPA
awaiting
Turnover-worthy play rate
awaiting

Advanced Savant

Opponent-adjusted advanced metrics with a cohort filter.

Advanced opponent-adjusted metrics are coming soon for this player. Selected cohort: P4.

Peer Comparator · Fingerprint match

Three closest profiles by box-rate percentile

3 peers · 6 metrics
Sterling LockettKansas StateMichael Jackson IIIPurdue· 48% simTrent WalkerOregon State· 42% simJacquon GibsonMassachusetts· 40% sim
Yards / catch
50
Lockett
9
III
40
Walker
15
Gibson
Fumbles lost
36
Lockett
6
III
6
Walker
Rec TDs
7
Lockett
24
III
42
Walker
7
Gibson
Long catch
3
Lockett
16
III
39
Walker
56
Gibson
Rec yards
0
Lockett
70
III
89
Walker
74
Gibson
Receptions
0
Lockett
92
III
95
Walker
92
Gibson

Closest peers by overall box-score percentile profile at the same position.

DNA Match awaiting data — similarity scores compute once season stats clear the volume gate for this position cohort.

Supporting Cast · Scheme

Staff and system around the player

2025 season

Head Coach

Chris Klieman

Pass share

46.4%

342 pass / 395 run

Plays / game

61.4

12 games

OL sack rate (allowed)

4.5%

288 dropbacks · PBP

Scheme: Run-leaning, slow tempo.

Coaching Lineage · 2025

1 coach
2025
Chris Klieman
Kansas State

Played his entire career under Chris Klieman.

Bio · Recruiting · Transfer · Roster

Off-field context — switch tabs to drill into recruit profile, transfer arc, or roster timeline.

HometownLeawood, KS
Height5'10"
Weight169 lb
Class3
PositionWR
Jersey6

Trophy Case · Detail

Every honor on the ledger, broken out by stream and selector.

Honors

No formal honors on the ledger yet

All-America, all-conference, player-of-the-week, watch-list, and postseason awards land here when they're earned. The absence is the signal: most players never collect formal honors, and that's its own kind of context.

Honors Timeline

Season-end distinction and week-by-week recognition on one timeline.

Season Honor Scope Team / Selector Context
No formal honors on the ledger yet. All-America, all-conference, weekly awards, watch lists, and postseason trophies land here when they’re earned.

Heisman By Year

Modeled rank and official finish by season.

Season Team Role Latest Model Forecast Win Finalist Official Finish Points Context
2024 Kansas State WR3 #2377 #2107 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W16 snapshot | Big 12
2023 Kansas State WR3 #2918 #2579 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W19 snapshot | Big 12
2022 Kansas State WR3 #2495 #2016 0.0% 0.0% -- -- W20 snapshot | Big 12

Roster Timeline

Team, conference, and class by season.

Season Team Conference Pos Class Bio
2025 Kansas State Big 12 WR 3 No. 6 | 5-10 | 169 lb | Leawood, KS
2024 Kansas State Big 12 WR 3 No. 6 | 5-10 | 169 lb | Leawood, KS
2023 Kansas State Big 12 WR 3 No. 6 | 5-10 | 169 lb | Leawood, KS
2022 Kansas State Big 12 WR 3 No. 6 | 5-10 | 169 lb | Leawood, KS