Interest piling up for speedy 2023 Georgia SR Robert Lockhart
Robert Lockhart has been trolling Georgia defenses with his speed and burst since his freshman season, in turn forcing college scouts to take notice. The table setting varsity run with Fairburn’s Langston Hughes High School in 2019 led to a breakout campaign a year ago placing Lockhart on recruiting boards across the country.
Being the leading receiver on an 11-2 Panthers’ squad brings special attention. Langston Hughes made a three-game run into the playoffs during the 2020 season allowing Lockhart to tally 681 yards off 34 receptions with 10 trips into the end zone. Teams shied away from Lockhart’s 4.45 speed in the 40-yard dash, 10.7 in the 100, in the return game limiting him to one 43-yard kick return and one 71-yard punt return.
On the recruiting trail, Maryland was the first program to offer Lockhart followed by Liberty. With the phone lines opened up on Sept. 1 for the 2023 class, Lockhart found out how popular a recruit he really is.
“Man, that was one of the best days of my life. I have never seen my phone blown up like that. It was crazy. I had to go to school the next day. I turned my phone off, and when I got up, I screamed at 6 o’clock waking everyone up.”
Lockhart listed the teams that reached out, “Auburn, Mississippi State, Oregon, Georgia, Ole Miss, USC, Marshall, Coastal Carolina, Appalachian State, Notre Dame, Pitt, Tulane, TCU, Vandy, Wake Forest and Liberty.”
Interest has turned into game-day visits this fall. Stops have been made at Auburn, Georgia and Vanderbilt thus far. Lockhart gave insight on his most recent visit with Auburn.
“It was great. It was a tough loss to No. 1 Georgia. But they put up a fight. They had good schemes and good run and passing plays. They kept their composure.”
From the coaches to the fans, Lockhart left The Plains impressed, “The crowd, how they give the players energy. The coaches when we were in the lounge, they were giving the same advice as my dad. My dad is wise man. That is the place I want to go to if they are saying the same stuff as my dad.”
Georgia hosted Lockhart in Week 2 of the season for the non-conference meeting against UAB. An impact was made on the in-state prospect.
“Man, that visit – that was a unique visit. That was my first to Georgia. I went to Clemson (2019) before that; Georgia and Clemson are neck and neck.”
No dates have been set, but Lockhart hopes to visit Mississippi State and Notre Dame before the 2021 college football season ends.