Seahawks call up speedy Lockette

RENTON, Wash. – The dentist’s chair was going to have to wait. Ricardo Lockette had to take a call he’d been waiting for all season.

Lockette was just settling into the dentist’s chair Tuesday when he got a call from a number he didn’t recognize. Lockette answered and heard the voice of Seahawks general manager John Schneider.

Schneider informed Lockette he was being promoted from the practice squad. He started tearing up on the spot.

“Once I got that news, man, my life … I can’t explain it. Best day of my life,” said the 6-foot-2, 211-pounder.

Lockette, a former NCAA 200-meter champion at Division II Fort Valley State, was heavily pursued after going undrafted this year. Lockette signed with Seattle, citing the sincerity he felt from Schneider and coach Pete Carroll.

Upon arriving in Seattle, Lockette showed that he was more than just a top-notch sprinter. He made a mark with some stellar catches in training camp that indicated he was a much more polished receiver than initially thought. However, the play from the practice field didn’t show up during the preseason, as Lockette got just one catch for 16 yards in limited action.

Seattle added him to the practice squad after roster cuts, and he has continued to develop.

“We thought he had one of the best workouts at the combine for a guy that came out of nowhere … and kind of set our sights on him and said, ‘Let’s see if we can get this guy,’ ”Carroll said.

His role in the short term will be limited. He’s the sixth wide receiver and will serve as a backup returner to Leon Washington on special teams.