The Seahawks have been raving about Ricardo Lockette all year, and now everyone is seeing why.

Back in minicamps, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell often tossed Lockette’s name out as someone the coaches were excited about — particularly because of his sub-4.3 speed. That’s why it was easy to see the fourth-year player making the team again despite a huge logjam at wide receiver.

As the fourth or even fifth receiver, he doesn’t get many offensive opportunities — yet he has caught touchdown passes in both victories this season. Add to that his standout play on special teams and you have the kind of player the Seahawks love — fast and versatile.

He showed it all in the win over Denver on Sunday.

Toward the end of the second quarter, Lockette had an eventful drive. First, he broke up an interception by Aqib Talib that probably would have been returned 31 yards for a touchdown. Lockette was called for pass interference, but it was worth the 10 yards.

“That was a big play,” coach Pete Carroll said. “He went on defense on them. He got a penalty, but it was worth it at the time, because that might have been a touchdown for them. … It was really a heads-up play by Ricardo.”

It wasn’t the first time a Seattle receiver has broken up an interception of a pass from Russell Wilson this season — Doug Baldwin and Zach Miller both busted up sure picks in the opener against Green Bay.

“He (Talib) just instinctively jumped the (out) route. He had a sense for it and went for it,” Carroll said. “Ricardo did a great job to keep him from intercepting the football. We’ve been praising him for that. Sometimes they (receivers) have to go on defense and, if that’s what he had to do (get the penalty), it was worth it.”

It kept the drive alive. Wilson then completed passes to Marshawn Lynch and Baldwin to get the Seahawks down to the Broncos’ 39-yard line, and Lockette came up big again as Wilson hit him for the touchdown that put Seattle up 10-3.

“What a great play,” Carroll said. “What a great throw and catch. That was just a chance to go for it with Rocket, and he ran a great route on a great DB (Talib) and made a great catch with a perfect throw. Really good call by Bev to go for it right there. (Talib) was kind of jumping on (Lockette) a little bit — a really good sequence. Then, the guys came through with a great throw and great catch.”

“On that drive, he did a great job,” Wilson said. “He broke up a pass. That was big. Also, going down against a very good corner, in Talib, who we have a lot of respect for. He runs by him and makes the tough catch in the corner of the end zone on the go ball. Those are the things he’s done all training camp and all year. He continues to show up, he continues to work, he continues to have the right attitude, he continues to hustle every play in practice, and it shows up in the game.”

Lockette was just as good on special teams — his bread and butter.

Punter Jon Ryan had a monster day, putting Denver in bad field position throughout the game, and Lockette was a big part of that. In the first quarter, he forced a fair catch on Ryan’s 61-yard punt. He barely missed a tackle on another return, but he nailed Isaiah Burse for no gain on a 58-yard punt in the third quarter.

“He does a great job on special teams,” Wilson said. “He strikes fear in the punt returners every time he runs down there, I think.”

“He’s been incredibly significant. He’s really shown up,” Carroll said. “He had great coverage all day long. He forced a couple fair catches, and the great play he makes on about a 60-yard punt. I don’t know that anybody’s doing it any better than he is right now. He’s incredibly effective and he is so fast, and his intensity and the attitude he brings to the coverage teams is phenomenal. … He’s doing a great job.”