Oklahoma Sends New Offer to 2027 Running Back Days After Decommitment

The Sooners have joined the race for Class of 2027 running back TJ Lewis, who is listed at 6-0 and 225 pounds.

Oklahoma running backs coach Deland McCullough | Carson Field / Sooners On SI

NORMAN — Oklahoma’s running back room is under new leadership, and as a result, there have been twists and turns on the recruiting trail for the Sooners.

OU saw 2027 tailback commit Jaxsen Stokes of Chatsworth, CA, flip his commitment from the Sooners to Cal on Sunday. His flip followed the decommitment of Micah Rhodes — the No. 1 running back from the Class of 2028, per 247Sports — on April 1.

Longtime running backs coach DeMarco Murray departed from Oklahoma in favor of the NFL’s Kansas City Chiefs in January. The Sooners replaced him with Deland McCullough, who previously served as the running backs coach for Notre Dame, USC, Indiana and the Las Vegas Raiders.

It’s unsurprising that the coaching change prompted some recruiting twists. But McCullough has begun to chart his own path on the recruiting trail.

Class of 2027 running back TJ Lewis announced an offer from Oklahoma on Thursday.

BLESSED TO RECEIVE A OFFER FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA ⚪️🔴 @EDGYTIM @AllenTrieu @GregSmithRivals @DeepDishFB @OU_Football @coachdmc @FBraidernation @titcus pic.twitter.com/qavyQ0mm73

— Timmie “TJ” lewis”27 RB (@52TjD1) April 30, 2026

Lewis hails from Bolingbrook, IL, and he is a consensus 3-star recruit. Per 247Sports’ composite rankings, Lewis is the No. 596 overall player and the No. 41 running back from the 2027 class.

As a junior at Bolingbrook High School, Lewis was a star. The 6-0, 225-pound running back finished his third season of high school football with 1,808 all-purpose yards and 22 total touchdowns.

Though Lewis isn’t a blue-chip prospect, the tailback has earned offers from several major programs, including Missouri, Michigan, Indiana, Kansas State, Wisconsin, Michigan State and Iowa State.

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In comparison, Stokes is the No. 691 overall prospect in 247Sports’ composite rankings. He ran for 722 yards and 12 touchdowns as a junior at Sierra Canyon High School. The California native will join a Golden Bears program that has finished with a winning record just once since 2020.

The Sooners have only one running back commit — Keldrid Ben — from the Class of 2027. A native of Montgomery, TX, Ben is a consensus 4-star recruit, and he is ranked No. 86 overall in the latest Rivals300 rankings.

OU has sent offers to 18 running backs from the 2027 class, per Rivals. Of those 18 running backs with OU offers, 14 of them are uncommitted.

With 20 commits, Oklahoma’s 2027 class sits atop 247Sports’ team recruiting rankings. The Sooners are No. 3 in Rivals’ team rankings behind Texas A&M and Texas Tech.