Oklahoma's Gracen Halton is Carrying More Than Just Himself, Sooners Into CFP

NORMAN — The picture is a bit weathered now.

But the smile still shines bright.

Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton rarely removes the emblem dangling from a chain around his neck — a reminder of how far he’s come and that he’s not alone on his journey with the Sooners.

As Halton and the eighth-ranked Sooners get ready to take on No. 9 Alabama at 7 p.m. Friday at Gaylord Family — Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Halton can’t help but think about his beginnings as a football player.

Halton and Xavier Williams were nearly inseparable.

Though Williams was two years older, the brothers were almost always together.

“We always liked to laugh, always liked to play — play basketball, football. We were together 24/7,” Halton told Sooners On SI. “He had a great personality.”

Street football was one thing, but the boys dreamed of something bigger.

In the summer of 2012, Halton and Williams had big plans.

They were going to play on the same youth football team — Williams as a quarterback.

They talked about what it would be like to play in a real football game as teammates, and how much they looked forward to the experience.

In July of that year, though, the family experienced an unthinkable tragedy.

Williams, 10, and 9-year-old Latrelle Pearson were two of seven people riding in a minivan near Escondido, CA, north of San Diego, when the van collided with a car.

The van spun out and overturned.

Williams and Pearson both died in the accident while four other passengers were taken to local hospitals with injuries.

“As a kid, you really don’t know what really goes on but when my mom told me, I felt like I knew exactly what happened,” Halton said.

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Williams’ loss devastated him.

“At the time, I was in my head just crying and going on every day,” Halton said. “But as life went on, I just had to overcome. I feel like it’s a greater message for him.”

Halton was determined not to let their football dreams disappear.

Though Williams wasn’t there physically, Halton carried Williams’ spirit through his time playing youth football.

Williams’ grandmother gave Halton the necklace with the boy’s picture on a medallion. It stays near Halton’s heart.

“He was just one of the smartest kids there ever was, just a wonderful kid,” Williams’ grandmother, Cheryl Ruffin Robinson, told NBC San Diego in 2012. “He still is a wonderful kid. He’s here now, watching us.”

Williams was with Halton while he starred at San Diego’s St. Augustine High as a tight end and defensive end, developing into a 4-star prospect who was coveted by college football programs around the country.

And Williams has been with Halton during his journey through OU, where he became an immediate contributor in 2022.

The last two seasons, though, Halton has turned into a star.

Oklahoma Sooners, Gracen Halton — Oklahoma defensive tackle Gracen Halton | Carson Field, Sooners On SI

He’s tied for the team lead with six quarterback hurries this season, has seven tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks to go along with two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

More than that, he’s been a tone-setter for the interior of the Sooners’ defensive line.

“He’s got a little more centralized focus to him, where maybe in the past he’s a little bit messy,” Sooners coach Brent Venables said of Halton. “He cares about the program, he’s heavily invested. He was a tremendous athlete when he got here. … He’s really worked hard to develop, put on the size he needs to so that he can hold up at the point of attack.”

Halton also developed in ways other than just his physicality.

“He’s really matured into a fantastic, emotional, well-versed leader,” Venables said. “He speaks in front of the team and guys listen. They do that because of the amount of time, effort and energy he’s put into his career. … Couldn’t be more proud of him and the way he’s just kind of grown up through the last several years.”

Halton attributes some of that growth to Williams.

“You’ve just got to have the right mindset in everything you do,” Halton said. “Having a great mindset will help you overcome anything that life throws at you.”

As he prepares to play his final home game as a Sooner and his college career winds to a close in the College Football Playoff, Williams is still on Halton's mind.

“I hope he thinks great things of me,” Halton said. “I’ve got a lot of work to do, I’ve got to be better in aspects and parts of football and my life, but I feel like if he was here, he would be proud of me. … Without him, I wouldn’t be here, I feel like.”

Friday night when Halton and the Sooners take on Alabama, Williams will be there on the field with him in his smiling image on the chain around his neck.

“I just feel like he was supposed to be here with me,” Halton said.