Tag: Jonathan Hatton

Sooners projected to land 2026 4-star safety out of Texas

The Oklahoma Sooners have earned some momentum for a blue-chip safety out of Texas.

With football underway and the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] pretty well wrapped up, Oklahoma recruiting has turned its attention to the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag].

The Sooners have three players pledged for the 2026 class: four-star quarterback [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag], four-star running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag] and four-star tight end [autotag]Ryder Mix[/autotag]. Those three commitments have the Sooners inside the top 10 in the early going, and they have a shot at another blue-chip prospect in the cycle.

Josh McCuistion of Sooner Scoop and On3 logged a prediction on Friday favoring Oklahoma for four-star safety [autotag]Jordan Deck[/autotag]. Deck is considered the No. 167 player in the country by 247Sports and the No. 256 player in the nation by On3. Both recruiting sites view Deck as a top 20 safety in the class while Rivals puts him at No. 32 at the position.

Deck holds offers from Power Four schools Arkansas, Baylor, Houston, LSU, Miami, Michigan, Michigan State, Notre Dame, Ole Miss, Penn State, Pitt, Texas A&M and Wisconsin. Deck is a teammate of Mix at Frisco Lone Star High School.

https://twitter.com/On3Recruits/status/1832082302714945745

Deck is 6 feet, 3 inches and weighs 180 pounds, providing good size to the back end of a defense. He does a good job utilizing his length in coverage to challenge wide receivers at the catch point. He shows off good hands when he gets an opportunity to make a play on the football.

As a tackler, Deck does a good job of getting his pad level lower to create leverage on smaller running backs and wraps up consistently.

For Frisco Lone Star, he plays a great deal in single-high and two-high safety looks, and he looks comfortable playing in man coverage and zone. He does a good job reading the quarterbacks eyes while staying aware of the receivers in his area.

With his size and length, Deck could be used in a traditional safety role or play the cheetah position in Zac Alley’s defense.

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2026 In-state 4-Star running back includes Oklahoma in top 11

The Sooners remain in the hunt for 2026 four-star running back out of the state of Oklahoma.

The Oklahoma Sooners have shown in previous recruiting cycles a desire to take multiple running backs in a recruiting cycle. They’ve signed at least two scholarship backs in each of the last three recruiting cycles.

The Sooners are hoping to do the same in the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag]. They’ve already received a commitment from four-star running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag]. They’re also pursuing a number of blue-chip runners, one of which is a standout from the Tulsa area, [autotag]Kaydin Jones[/autotag]. Jones dropped his top 11 on social media on Wednesday and included the Sooners.

Along with the Oklahoma Sooners were Oregon, Michigan State, Alabama, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Louisville, Miami, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, and Tennessee. He has a total of 22 offers, 21 of which are from Power 4 schools across the country.

Jones is a composite four-star running back, according to 247Sports. Oklahoma offered back in June of 2023.

An Oklahoma legacy, Kaydin Jones has spent time with the Sooners in camp settings, impressing those in attendance with his quickness, elusiveness, and ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. A true dual-threat runner, Jones racked up 2,205 all-purpose yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore.

Jones displays fantastic contact balance, breaking tackles and picking up extra yards. He’s got quick feet and is an elusive runner. He’s shown the ability to line up in a number of spots on offense and can run a full route tree.

He’s got all the talent to be a dynamic player at the collegiate level and beyond. Here’s hoping it’s with the Oklahoma Sooners.

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Sooners favored to land 2026 wide receiver Aljour Miles, Jr.

Oklahoma looks like the trending favorite to land 2026 wide receiver Aljour Miles out of Kaufman, Texas.

The Oklahoma Sooners have earned significant commitments to kick off the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag].

Four-star prospects [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag], [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag] and [autotag]Ryder Mix[/autotag] have gotten the ball rolling for the Sooners for next year’s recruiting class. As it looks to build upon it, OU appears to have some momentum in the recruitment of Kaufman athlete Aljour Miles.

Parker Thune and Brandon Drumm of OUInsider, along with Marshall Levenson, issued Rivals futurecasts favoring the Sooners in the recruitment for Miles.

According to Thune, the Sooners see him as a wide receiver at the collegiate level. Though he hasn’t been rated by any of the primary recruiting sites at this point, Miles has the athleticism to be a difference-maker out wide. He shows off good route-running ability and reads the ball well in the air. Miles has the ability to win deep and shows off good hands.

It’s likely he ends the 2026 recruiting cycle as a four-star prospect by signing day.

Miles holds offers from Oklahoma, Colorado State, SMU, Pitt, Tulsa, North Texas, UTEP, UTSA and Boston College.

 

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Oklahoma near the top of ESPN’s top recruiting classes for 2026

Oklahoma Sooners have one of ESPN’s best recruiting classes for the 2026 cycle.

Recruiting hasn’t been a problem for [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] and his staff since taking over in Norman. In fact, it’s been better than his predecessor. The Sooners have earned three top 10 classes in a row since Venables arrived, and it looks like they’re headed for another top-10 finish in the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag].

The recruiting success and a 10-win season in 2023 have the Sooners off to a fast start in the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag], already picking up three commitments. Interestingly for the defensive-minded Brent Venables, Oklahoma’s three commits for 2026 are blue-chip prospects on the offensive side of the ball.

The Sooners have pledges from running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag], tight end [autotag]Ryder Mix[/autotag] and quarterback [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag]. Each prospect is considered a four-star player, so it is no surprise OU has ESPN’s No. 2 class at this point in the 2026 cycle (ESPN+).

The Sooners’ past four four-star quarterback pickups have all come out of Texas, including 2023 signee [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag]. For the 2026 class, they have traveled a different path, pulling [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag] out of California. Among the most physically talented QBs in the class, he could be the player to replace five-star Arnold if he meets expectations. O’Neal has a strong arm with a smooth release and also can adapt well and do a nice job of changing arm angles.

The Sooners returned to the familiar recruiting ground of Texas to land ESPN Junior 300 running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton Jr[/autotag]. He has a nice blend of size (6 feet, 205 pounds) and speed. As a sophomore, he rushed for more than 1,200 yards. – Craig Haubert, ESPN

There’s slightly less than 18 months until the 2026 early signing period, but Oklahoma has hit the ground running. It trails only Florida State and is in front of the USC Trojans. Syracuse comes in at No. 4 and Texas rounds out the top five.

There’s a long way to go, but if these last few years are any indication, the Sooners aren’t going to slow anytime soon.

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Sooners earn commitment from 2026 4-star QB Jaden O’Neal

Oklahoma is the choice for four-star QB prospect Jaden O’Neal who picks the Sooners over Miami. Ohio State, Florida State and Washington.

The demise of quarterback recruiting at the Univeristy of Oklahoma was greatly exaggerated. Seth Littrell wanted to ensure he reminded the rest of the nation of that.

The Sooners had a massive weekend, hosting nearly their entire collection of 2025 commits, plus a few uncommitted guys they are heavily pursuing. OU received even more good news on Monday when four-star quarterback prospect [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag] chose the Sooners over offers from Miami, Florida State, Ohio State and Washington.

Heading into his junior season, O’Neal is already a terrific QB prospect, yet he still feels like he’s scratching the surface of what he could become. He’s as pure a passer as Oklahoma has recruited in quite some time, with the arm talent to make every throw and incredible accuracy on short, intermediate, and deep throws, too.

While he may not be the dual threat like multiple quarterbacks who have taken the field in Norman recently, he makes up for it with his ability to sling the ball over the field. He’s a big quarterback prospect, too, standing 6 feet, 3 inches and weighing 200 pounds.

As a sophomore, he was credited with 2,475 passing yards and 27 touchdowns, completing 61% of his passes in 11 games. He’s rated the No. 91 player in the nation in the Top247 and the No. 6 quarterback. He’s rated the No. 64 overall player on the 247Sports composite and looks like a prime candidate to see his ranking improve by this time next year.

This is the Sooners third commitment of the 2026 recruiting class. Along with O’Neal, the Sooners have earned commitments from four-star running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag] and four-star tight end [autotag]Ryder Mix[/autotag].

With O’Neal in the boat, Oklahoma shoots into the top three national in 2026 team recruiting, trailing behind Florida State and USC.

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Sooners 2026 4-Star QB Target Jaden O’Neal sets decision date

Oklahoma QB target Jaden O’Neal set to announces commitment date coming soon.

In a pleasant surprise, Oklahoma’s top target at quarterback for the 2026 recruiting class announced on Friday that he would be moving up his commitment timeline..

2026 four-star QB [autotag]Jaden O’Neal[/autotag] will announce his commitment on Monday, June 24. His commitment will be a part of the College Football Recruiting Show from 247Sports and can be streamed on YouTube.

On Wednesday, O’Neal announced a top 10 list, but it looks like O’Neal is down to these five schools. Miami, Florida State, Ohio State, and Washington join Oklahoma.

 

Marshall Levenson of Rivals had reported a commitment timeline for July or August. The sudden shift in commitment date could only benefit the Sooners. Every prediction from any of the primary recruiting services has O’Neal committing to the Sooners.

OU grabbed the lead in the spring and has run away with it. After a successful summer of camps and visits, it seems O’Neal has seen what he needs to see and is ready to make his choice.

If Oklahoma were to land the talented four-star signal-caller, they’d get an incredible QB prospect with an extremely high ceiling. There’s reason to believe O’Neal could crack the five-star ceiling when all is said and done for 2026.

He is a genuinely gifted passer at all levels of the field, with arm strength to spare. He’s a pure passer with plus athleticism and has NFL size.

Oklahoma has two players currently committed to the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag], with running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag] and tight end [autotag]Ryder Mix[/autotag] pledged to OU. If the Sooners are able to earn a commitment from O’Neal, it will really get the ball rolling on the 2026 recruiting class.

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Oklahoma lands commitment from 2026 four-star TE Ryder Mix

Oklahoma lands second prospect for 2026 recruiting class, earning a commitment from four-star tight end Ryder Mix.

Oklahoma is knee-deep hosting official visits for the [autotag]2025 recruiting class[/autotag] this month, but that hasn’t stopped this staff from broadening their horizons and scouting talent for the classes to come. Brent Venables’ Football Camp is all about exposure for a lot of prospects from across the country and one of the camp’s standouts saw enough to hop in the boat.

Ryder Mix, a talented four-star tight end out of Frisco, Texas announced his commitment to the Oklahoma Sooners Saturday afternoon. 247Sports has Mix as the No. 21 tight end in the country and a top-60 prospect in the state of Texas. Mix chose Oklahoma over offers from Ohio State, Michigan, Miami, Florida State, and Oregon.

The layers to the Mix commitment run deep.

Mix plays his high school ball at Lone Star High School, which also gave the Sooners, [autotag]Marvin Mims[/autotag].

Mims starred at OU before being drafted in the third round by the Denver Broncos. Mix’s offensive coordinator is former OU football player [autotag]Travis Wilson[/autotag], a member of multiple Big 12 title-winning teams. He was part of a loaded receiving core that featured [autotag]Mark Clayton[/autotag] and [autotag]Brandon Jones[/autotag].

The Sooners offered in February and after an unofficial visit Mix made the decision to come down to camp this summer. Mix clocks in at 6-foot-4 and over 210 pounds. He was named an All-District selection and looks to take on a much larger role for his high school team this year.

With Mix committed Oklahoma now has two commits for its [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag], both being on the offensive side of the ball. Running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. surprised everyone during the season last fall by committing to Oklahoma out of nowhere. Mix’s commitment is somewhat out of the same playbook.

Oklahoma is building some nice early momentum for their 2026 class. With two commitments already, the summer may be fun for the Sooners’ 2025 recruiting and 2026 recruiting alike.

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Sooners 2026 QB target Dereon Coleman set for an unofficial visit to Norman

QB prospect Dereon Coleman set for unofficial visit to Norman.

Oklahoma’s top quarterback target for the class of 2026 is four-star prospect [autotag]Dereon Coleman[/autotag]. The talented signal-caller will be making an unofficial visit to Norman.

In a post on his social media page, Coleman announced he would visit April 11 and 12.

This is significant as the Sooners have already received multiple predictions in favor of Coleman to land with Oklahoma. So, getting him in the building should truly only add to the lead that Oklahoma may already have.

 

Oklahoma has plenty of quarterback depth on the roster right now. [autotag]Jackson Arnold[/autotag] takes over as the starter in 2024 and will likely hold the job through at least the 2025 season. Following Arnold, [autotag]Michael Hawkins[/autotag] and [autotag]Brendan Zurbrugg[/autotag] will have the first crack at the starting job and current commit [autotag]Kevin Sperry[/autotag] is expected to join the roster next spring.

Coleman seems to be the Sooners’ number one focus at the position for 2026. He grew up an OU fan, so in many ways, this may be the perfect fit.

Aside from Oklahoma, Coleman is being recruited heavily by Ole Miss, Arkansas, Texas A&M, and USF.

As it stands, Oklahoma has just one commit in the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag]: four-star running back [autotag]Jonathon Hatton[/autotag].

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Sooners earn another Futurecast for 2026 4-star QB Dereon Coleman

The Oklahoma Sooners continue to trend for 2024 four-star quarterback Dereon Coleman.

The Oklahoma Sooners only have one player committed to the [autotag]2026 recruiting class[/autotag] at this time, four-star running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag]. But they continue to trend in a positive direction for another blue-chip player.

It looks like the Oklahoma Sooners have zeroed in on their quarterback for the 2026 recruiting class. Four-star prospect [autotag]Dereon Coleman[/autotag] has been projected to the Sooners multiple times over the last couple of months.

OUInsider’s Brandon Drumm joined the crew with a Rivals Futurecast favoring the Sooners in Coleman’s recruitment.

Here’s what Sooners Wire’s Bryant Crews had to say about Coleman.

Coleman is a smaller quarterback prospect, standing at six feet. He throws a nice tight spiral and showcases some arm strength, ripping passes over the middle of the field. He also showed the ability to buy time with his athleticism while simultaneously looking down the field to make plays with his arm. – Bryant Crews, Sooners Wire

There isn’t a timetable for Coleman’s commitment at this time, but it looks like the Sooners have put themselves in a great position to earn his commitment.

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Oklahoma Sooners receive commitment from 2026 4-Star RB Jonathan Hatton

The Oklahoma Sooners earned their first commitment of the 2026 recruiting cycle with a pledge from four-star running back Jonathan Hatton.

The Oklahoma Sooners recruiting efforts are ahead of schedule. On Tuesday, they earned their first commitment of the 2026 recruiting cycle from four-star running back [autotag]Jonathan Hatton[/autotag].

Oklahoma offered Hatton back in June after attending [autotag]Brent Venables[/autotag] football camp. He was back on campus at the end of July and then was in town for the Oklahoma Sooners beatdown of Iowa State this weekend.

Hatton is a consensus four-star running back prospect and someone who could see his profile rise even higher over the next three years. 247Sports, On3, and Rivals each consider him a top-80 prospect in the cycle and top 10 player in Texas for 2026.

The sophomore already has fantastic size for the running back position, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing 205 pounds.

He’s a runner who displays fantastic vision with great cut-back ability. He’s strong at the point of attack, willing to take on tacklers, and can often break through contact. Hatton also displays enough speed to get to the second level and take it the distance for a touchdown.

When you watch his highlights, his running style reminds you of running backs coach [autotag]DeMarco Murray[/autotag] and former Sooner great [autotag]Joe Mixon[/autotag]. Both were smooth runners with upright styles that can make people miss, as well as break tackles to pick up extra yards.

With the commitment the Sooners earned the pledge of one of the top players in the state of Texas.

Jonathan Hatton’s Recruiting Profile

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