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Oklahoma Flips Four-Star Running Back From Texas A&M

The first commit of the 2026 class has come full circle, rejoining the class after earlier decommitting and flipping to the Aggies.
Ryan Aber|
Jonathan Hatton Jr.
Jonathan Hatton Jr. | Photo via Jonathan Hatton Jr.'s X account

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Oklahoma Sooners

Jonathan Hatton Jr. was Oklahoma's first 2026 commit.

Now, the 4-star running back is back in the Sooners' fold.

Nearly a year after decommitting from OU, Hatton flipped from Texas A&M on Monday, becoming the 22nd commitment of the class for OU. National Signing Day for the 2026 class is next Wednesday.

The 6-foot, 205-pound back from Cibolo (TX) Steele is ranked as the No. 4 running back and No. 74 player overall in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He's also ranked as the No. 10 player in the state of Texas.

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Hatton initially committed to the Sooners on Oct. 3, 2023, after receiving an offer in June of that year.

He remained committed to OU until early December 2024 when he decommitted as offers kept rolling in.

Even after his change of heart, the Sooners remained in close contact, mainly running backs coach DeMarco Murray.

Hatton committed to the Aggies on March 22, but visited Ohio State and Oklahoma — as well as Texas A&M — following his commitment.

Hatton ran for 1,229 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2024, averaging nearly 9.2 yards per carry. He ran for 1,222 yards and 21 scores the year before and 210 yards and two touchdowns as a freshman in 2023 at San Antonio Brandeis before transferring to Cibolo, northeast of San Antonio.

While the yardage production bump from his sophomore to junior season might seem slight, it was far more impressive, as he reached the same total with nearly 100 fewer carries.

Hatton has rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 16 touchdowns so far this season. Steele is 11-1 and takes on San Antonio Johnson in the quarterfinals of the Class 6A Division I playoffs this weekend.

Cibolo Steele is the same high school that produced former Sooners outside linebacker Mark Jackson Jr. The Sooners also flipped Jackson from Texas A&M during the recruiting process.

Hatton joined Missouri product DeZephen Walker as Sooners' running back commits in the incoming class.

He becomes the third-highest ranked recruit in the class, behind only quarterback Bowe Bentley of Celina, TX, and edge rusher Jake Kreul of Orlando, FL.

Bentley is the No. 68 player in the class and Kreul No. 72 according to the 247Sports Composite.

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Ryan Aber
RYAN ABER

Ryan Aber has been covering Oklahoma football for more than a decade continuously and since 1999 overall. Ryan was the OU beat writer for The Oklahoman from 2013-2025, covering the transition from Bob Stoops to Lincoln Riley to Brent Venables. He covered OU men's basketball's run to the Final Four in 2016 and numerous national championships for the Sooners' women's gymnastics and softball programs. Prior to taking on the Sooners beat, Ryan covered high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks and Oklahoma City Barons for the newspaper from 2006-13. He spent two seasons covering Arkansas football for the Morning News of Northwest Arkansas before returning to his hometown of Oklahoma City. Ryan also worked at the Southwest Times Record in Fort Smith, Arkansas, and the Muskogee Phoenix. At the Phoenix, he covered OU's national championship run in 2000. Ryan is a graduate of Putnam City North High School in Oklahoma City and Northeastern State University in Tahlequah.

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