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Arkansas 2026 safety commit Tay Lockett announced on Monday that he has transferred from University City (Calif.) to Conway (Ark.)

Arkansas 2026 three-star safety commit Tay Lockett is making his way to The Natural State a little earlier than anticipated. He announced his official transfer from University City (Calif.) to Conway (Ark.) to play his senior season on Monday.

“This is home now,” said Lockett in a press release. “I’m in Arkansas to be closer to family, prepare for the SEC, and help Conway win football games. I’m excited to play for the state right now and for the state to have the opportunity to watch me up close and personal.”

Lockett also has family that resides in the Little Rock area.

The six foot, 165-pound Lockett was the first commitment for the Hogs’ 2026 class almost exactly two years ago and despite some rumblings that he may back off of his pledge, he reaffirmed his status early last month.

“At the end of the day, Arkansas felt like home from the very beginning and nothing changed that,” Lockett told Rivals. “As things around me shifted, my belief in where I was going never did. I’ve always been about loyalty and long-term vision, not just hype or headlines. This is where I feel I’m meant to grow as both a football player and a man.”

Per the Rivals industry rankings, Lockett is the country’s 66th-best safety for his class and 62nd overall prospect in California.

Along with the Hogs, Lockett’s lengthy offer list includes Arizona, Auburn, Colorado, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, Miami, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ole Miss, Oregon, Penn State, Tennessee, Texas A&M, Southern California and Washington, among others.

Tay Lockett’s impressive prep career thus far

Lockett played in 38 games for University City dating back to his freshman season in which he helped the Centurions compile a 31-7 overall record.

In that span, Lockett logged 248 total tackles, forced five fumbles and recovered six, batted down 17 passes and nabbed 14 interceptions, half of which came during his freshman year.

Lockett was utilized on offense last fall as a junior and caught 33 passes for 526 yards (15.9 yards per reception) and 11 touchdowns, while also finishing with 107 tackles, including 66 solo and three for loss, plus broke up five passes and came down with two interceptions.

Some of Lockett’s accolades include being the third all-time leading tackler in University City’s program history, a three-time California All-State selection, plus he was named Defensive Player of the Year for both his team as well as for the San Diego Eastern League.

A talented squad gets even better with Tay Lockett’s addition

Heading into year three under six-time Arkansas state champion Buck James, Conway is once again one of the state’s top gridiron squads.

The Wampus Cats have advanced to five consecutive Class 7A state semifinal rounds and feature standouts including tight end Dawson McFadin and offensive linemen Isaiah Bowman, both Arkansas State commits, along with a host of additional college prospects.

Under James, the Wampus Cats are 20-4 and have won 10 games each season. They kick off 2025 at home against Jonesboro on Aug. 29 and the following week will travel to take on Bentonville and Lockett’s 2026 classmate, three-star wide receiver Dequane Prevo.

Prevo also arrived in Arkansas early when he transferred from Liberty-Eylau (Texas) to play for Bentonville back in June.