2026 RB Jonathan Hatton Highlights DeMarco Murray’s Efforts to Restore OU’s RB Room

In recruiting, what matters is where you end up. Not necessarily how you got there.

Just a few days before Dillon Gabriel tossed a game-winning touchdown pass to Nic Anderson against Texas, Steele High School's Jonathan Hatton Jr. verbally committed to the Oklahoma Sooners. There was already a lot of promise around Hatton's game. Everyone from Oregon to Ohio State to Alabama offered the Cibolo, TX prospect.

That verbal pledge would end following the Sooners disastrous 6-7 campaign in 2024. Hatton would then commit to Texas A&M — a school he would remain connected to until the final days of the 2026 recruiting cycle until flipping back to OU for good.

Hatton's commitment gives running backs coach DeMarco Murray another promising player to develop next year. Though Hatton’s talent is evident, it remains unclear how young running backs will fit into Murray’s offense early in their careers.

DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma Sooners — Oklahoma running backs coach DeMarco Murray | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Murray was hired in January of 2020 to run Lincoln Riley's running back room. By then, the 2020 recruiting class had been wrapped up and Murray was forced to hit the ground running — a task made more difficult by Kennedy Brooks opting-out due to the COVID-19 Pandemic and future NFL runner Rhamondre Stevenson serving a six-game suspension.

During Riley's tenure, Murray did a good job of balancing carries between his backs. From 2020-2021, OU backs Seth McGowan, TJ Pledger, Marcus Major and Stevenson all made impacts when called upon. In Riley's final year at Oklahoma, Brooks returned and became a hero forever in the OU-Texas game.

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Once Brent Venables arrived for the 2022 season, Murray navigated a running back room that dealt with early-season injuries to land on Eric Gray. Gray, who had transferred from Tennessee the year prior, exploded for 1,364 yards on 213 carries and 11 touchdowns. He was a bright spot on an otherwise bad 6-7 team.

Following the '22 season, Oklahoma's running back situation can be best described as inconsistent. Injuries, mismanagement and missed evaluations led to a running back-by-committee approach.

Tawee Walker played like the best back over Gavin Sawchuk, Jovantae Barnes and Major. Yet, injuries or undisclosed coaching decisions led to Walker not getting the bulk of the carries throughout the season before transferring out of the program in December of 2023.

During the 2024 offseason, Murray landed his biggest recruiting battle win to date when he signed five-star Taylor Tatum out of Longview, TX over USC. The season would be another version of the 2023 season for the running backs in terms of inconsistency and injury. Tatum would play a lot early but would show to have ball-security issues — this opened the door for Xavier Robinson late in the season.

Xavier Robinson, Oklahoma Sooner — Oklahoma Sooners running back Xavier Robinson celebrates after scoring a touchdown against the Alabama Crimson Tide, Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

This season once again showed that Murray isn't fearful of playing true freshmen early. Tory Blaylock played early and often before starting in OU's fourth game against Auburn. Robinson would eventually work his way back to the starting lineup in the second half of the season following nagging injuries sustained during fall camp.

Overall, Murray's management of the running backs has been fine considering external factors outside of his control — injuries, player decisions (Brooks opt-out and Barnes' redshirt preservation — but there's no doubt Oklahoma would like to get back to the days of having a strong running game to rely on.

Hatton, who Venables pointed out as a "big, strong, 6-2, 220 plus pound" back with "great instincts, and great ball skills," provides Murray with yet another starting point. The future appears to be bright for Blaylock and Robinson — not so much Tatum considering his lack of impact this season. Hatton can fit right in and give the running back room a much-needed threat.

"It’s about relationships," Venables said at his National Signing Day press conference on Wednesday. "DeMarco did a great job staying in touch with the family, they’re the right kind of people. Jonathan comes from one of the best programs in the entire country, at Cibolo Steele High School. Had a fantastic senior year."

Time will tell how Hatton will in fact tell his story, but it does appear that after a two-season dip in overall running back production, Murray has his room primed for a resurgence in 2026.