Oklahoma Earns First Commitment in 2026 Recruiting Class

Originally posted on FanNation All Sooners
By Randall Sweet | Last updated 10/3/23

Sophomore running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. announced his commitment to Oklahoma on Tuesday afternoon.

Hatton is a 6-foot-1, 203-pound running back hailing from Steele High School in Cibolo, TX. The talented tailback is the Sooners' first pledge in the 2026 class, giving Jeff Lebby and company a great start to their recruiting efforts in the 2026 cycle.

Hatton is rated the No. 66 overall player and No. 5 running back in the nation, according to 247Sports.

Hatton's commitment is another huge victory for OU running backs coach DeMarco Murray, who landed the No. 1 running back in the 2024 class a few months ago.

Hatton picked up his offer from the Sooners in June, when the skilled halfback attended the Brent Venables Elite Camp.

Since receiving his offer from Murray and company, Hatton has visited Norman twice, with his most recent trip coming last weekend when the Sooners took down the Iowa State Cyclones 50-20.

Hatton, who is a 4-star recruit, picked OU over Vanderbilt, Nebraska, Baylor, Texas Tech, and a handful of other programs.

Hatton is high school teammates with 2025 Sooners' wide receiver offer Royal Capell, who was also on campus for the team's impressive offensive performance against ISU. Capell also received his offer after an impressive outing at the Brent Venables Elite Camp.

With one player now on board in Oklahoma's 2026 recruiting class, the Sooners' will attempt to keep the momentum going over the next few months. After an good showing against the Cyclones with more than 20 recruits on campus, it would not be surprising to see the Sooners land a few more commitments in the coming weeks.