Rockdale’s first ever professional athlete, Billy Ray Locklin, passed on Friday afternoon at the Seton Medical Center in Round Rock. He was 83 years old.
Lockin was drafted as a defensive end by the Los Angeles Chargers in 1960 before joining the Oakland Raiders and playing for the silver and black in two games that season.
He made a name for himself in the Canadian Football League where starred for the Montreal Alouettes from 1961 to 1964 before heading out to Ontario to play for the Hamilton Tiger Cats from 1965-1970. While in Hamilton, he won two Grey Cups (CFL’s championship) and was a CFL All-Star three times in 1965, 1966 and 1968 and earned the CFL Player of the Year Award in 1966. He was also a CFL East All-Star five times.
AYCOCK–During his teenage years, Locklin was a big part of the football and basketball teams that both won state championship during the 1955-1956 school year.
The following year, he went on to New Mexico State University in Los Cruces where he started as an offensive tackle his freshman year and was named to the Little All-American team his sophomore year.
During his junior season, he was named to All-Border Conference team and was an honorable mention for the All-American team his senior year.
The Locklin’s have created a dynasty at New Mexico State with his sons’ Ray, Kerry and Kim all going to play there after starring at Rockdale High School.
His grandson Tymon Locklin also played at NMSU.
Grandson Torry Locklin helped lead the Tigers to their second state championship in 2018 and now plays at University of Kansas as a redshirt freshman.
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