Whether it’s the routes he runs or what he does after the catch, Sachse four-star wide receiver Kaliq Lockett plays with a sense of style on the field. 

That sense of style follows Lockett off the field too, where the receiver explores his love for fashion through AØM Clothing, his own clothing brand.

“I’ve always been somebody that loves shoes and clothes, and having my own clothing brand taught me patience,” Lockett said.

It all started with a simple idea by Lockett and a few friends during their freshman year.

Although it came with doubt, the support from their peers gave Lockett and his friends a platform to share their creativity.

“We had first designed it, and when it first came out, we looked at it like maybe this didn't work,” Lockett said. “Then we posted pictures and people were actually liking it, so we started to get more copies of the hoodies made.”

As the group started to gain control of their brand, Lockett quickly learned the hardships of owning a clothing line. As with most clothing brands, AØM was not an overnight success, but this taught Lockett to be patient - a tool he’s grown to use on the field.

“It all translated to the football field a little bit because you've got to put in work. You've got to have patience and dedication with it,” Lockett said. “The ball is not going to go your way all the time. I know to be patient, and whenever the ball comes to me, I gotta make a play.”

Developing the skills to make those plays also comes with patience, including learning how to track the ball, a skill he believes to be his biggest strength.

“My ball tracking to me is the best in the country in my opinion,” Lockett said. “When the ball is in the air, nobody [is] snagging the ball away from me.”

This understanding of the game, paired with his 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame, has made Lockett a household name for the Sachse Mustangs. During his junior season, Lockett caught 59 passes for 1,299 yards and 13 touchdowns. 

Despite his on-the-field success, Lockett, through AØM Clothing, has found an identity off the field. This has opened the gateway for him to explore different pathways in life.

“For a long time I thought I was just a football player,” Lockett said. “Having a clothing brand has made me realize that I’m something more than just a football player. I can make money, not just off football, but off the clothing brand.” 

Owning AØM Clothing has not only taught Lockett the patience needed for success and given him an identity off the field, but has also brought closeness to his friends. The trio have known each other since middle school and have grown closer working on their clothing line. From learning more about each other to collaborating on hoodie designs, their bond is stronger than the distance they could face when Lockett leaves for his collegiate career.

“We’ve built a bond stronger than distance,” Lockett said. “Even though I’ll be busy with college, I’m still going to help with the clothing brand.”

Outside of their shared love for fashion, the trio shares the field on Friday nights, and regardless of his new-found identity, it is still the place that Lockett finds his form of therapy.

“Football is therapy to me. Every time I go to training or I go to practice, it eases my mind and makes me let go of everything that's negative about my mind,” Lockett said. “It's like therapy, and I can't get enough.”

Boasting 31 offers from the nation’s top programs, Lockett truly cannot get enough of the game. The recruitment process has required patience from Lockett as after his 2022 sophomore season, he only had offers from Utah, SMU and UTSA.

All Lockett had to do was be patient and stick to his motto: “If they don't believe it, I'm gonna make them believe it.”

Being patient and sticking to his motto has worked out as he now holds offers from the likes of LSU, Texas, USC and Florida State.

Through AØM Clothing, Lockett has learned many lessons. From the act of being patient, growing life-long bonds, and learning more about himself, owning his own clothing line has brought the receiver closer to his goals.

“When I see the ball in the air, everything goes quiet. I hear my breathing and my footsteps. And when that happens, nobody is stopping me from getting that ball,” Lockett said. “I see a big house that I see myself and my family living in. Chasing that dream and chasing that goal, that's what really motivates me on the field.”