Cam Newton mentored Jared Lockhart through his youth football program, providing lessons that continue shaping the Jackson State quarterback’s game.
Jared Lockhart does not speak about Cam Newton like a distant childhood hero. The Jackson State quarterback says their relationship is close enough that he could call the former NFL MVP today.
“Most definitely. I can call him right now. He’d say the same thing,” Lockhart said when asked whether Newton’s influence shows up in his game.
According to HBCU Gameday reports Cam Newton mentored Jared Lockhart years before the Charlotte native arrived at Jackson State. Lockhart played on Newton’s youth team, spent time at his home and absorbed lessons that extended beyond football.
“I played on his 7-on-7 team when I was little,” Lockhart said. “Just growing up, getting that knowledge from him, being able to stay at his crib, it just taught me a lot. He taught me a lot. He made sure I was good, fed me and just tried to model my game after him.”
For a young quarterback growing up in Charlotte, Newton was a natural figure to emulate after winning the Heisman Trophy at Auburn and leading the Carolina Panthers to Super Bowl 50. He has also said his 7-on-7 program is intended to positively affect young athletes, giving players such as Lockhart access to someone who reached the sport’s highest level.
Lockhart carried that preparation into a breakout freshman season at Jackson State. He appeared in seven games, made five starts and completed 76 of 113 passes for 1,187 yards, eight touchdowns and three interceptions. He added 189 rushing yards and three scores, earning SWAC co-Freshman of the Year honors.
The quarterback also credited former Jackson State starter Jacobian Morgan with helping him adjust to leading the Tigers’ offense. Morgan’s attention to detail, preparation and character gave Lockhart another model inside the program.
Lockhart’s route to Jackson State was not straightforward. A knee injury during his senior year disrupted a planned commitment to Syracuse, but Jackson State continued recruiting him while he was hospitalized. He said the school’s persistence and the welcome he received during his official visit convinced him that Jackson was home.
Now entering his sophomore season, Lockhart is focused on returning Jackson State to the SWAC Championship Game. The mentoring he received as a child is no longer just part of his origin story. It is shaping how one of HBCU football’s rising quarterbacks approaches the pressure ahead.
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