NO. 20 Ethan Locke
School: Valor Prep (Waco, Texas)
Grade: 2026
College: Uncommitted
Analysis: Locke is the running version of a basketball kid in the gym getting extra shots up, a hitter in the batting cage getting extra hitting practice, a receiver on the football team catching passes from the jug machine. He did what he had to do to improve, and his development can be attributed solely to his time and effort.
In two years, he went from running 4:56, 11:10, and 19:44 in his freshman year to 4:18, 8:55, and 14:05 (on the track) as a sophomore and 15:47 on grass. Locke is an unassuming superstar in the making. He won a race at the Texas Distance Festival by 30 seconds and ran 9:09 in a non-elite heat and still finished third overall. He then ran 8:55 and 8:56 to end the season in the event. To cap off his junior track season, Locke was edged at the finish line in the 5,000m at the Nike Outdoor Nationals.
If Locke continues to develop and improve, this could be an awe-inspiring season.