Sunday Offering: Oklahoma Gaining Interest from Key 2026 Football Recruits

A handful of 2026 recruits from Oklahoma and elsewhere showed love to the Sooners via social media this past week.

Jaden O'Neal, Jonathan Hatton Jr. and Seth Littrell in Norman | Jonathan Hatton Jr. via Twitter/X

While Oklahoma didn’t pick up or lose any commitments this past week, the Sooners were hard at work trying to solidify their 2026 recruiting class.

A key 2026 commit seemingly fortified his pledge with OU, while other prospects in the class said positive things about the program and its direction.

Here is the latest OU football recruiting news:

Jaden O’Neal affirms commitment

4-star quarterback commit Jaden O’Neal is still “really locked in” to his Oklahoma pledge, per Sam Spiegelman of Rivals.

O’Neal committed to Oklahoma in June 2024. Spiegelman reported that Miami, Washington and Texas A&M are a few programs “still chipping away” at the Class of 2026 quarterback despite his commitment.

Oklahoma QB commit Jaden O’Neal will be back in Norman next weekend: https://t.co/Q6dkou5WAq pic.twitter.com/IBu8y591Uj

— Steve Wiltfong (@SWiltfong_) January 18, 2025

"The love and the communication, all the feeling I've gotten from Oklahoma deep inside of me ... It's something I'm still really locked in with.,” O’Neal told Spiegelman.

On3's Steve Wiltfong reported that O'Neal will be in Norman again on another visit next weekend.

Rivals has O’Neal ranked as the No. 63 recruit and the No. 4 quarterback in the Class of 2026.

O’Neal competed at the Navy All-American Bowl National Combine last week, winning the Most Outstanding Quarterback award.

2026 targets

DaQuives Beck

Chad Simmons of On3 reported that the Sooners are one of a few SEC schools that 2026 4-star linebacker DaQuives Beck "has his eye on."

Beck, a 6-foot, 190-pound recruit, plans to visit Oklahoma on Feb. 1. 

“I like the coaches there,” Beck said of Oklahoma. “The head coach is a defensive coach… I like the schemes they run.”

Out of Carthage, TX, Beck is rated as the No. 150 player in the 2026 class, per 247 Sports.

Other schools reportedly in the mix for Beck include Texas, Texas A&M, Tennessee and Arizona State.

Chancellor Barclay

2026 offensive lineman prospect Chancellor Barclay listed the Sooners as one of his top 10 programs.

Barclay, a 6-3 1/2, 285-pound interior lineman out of Orlando, is rated as the No. 93 overall prospect in the Class of 2026 by Rivals. Other schools in Barclay’s top 10 include Alabama, Clemson, Texas A&M and Georgia.

Top 10!!! Thank you to all the coaches who have been recruiting me this far. God is good all the time, and all the time God is good!!! @Royals__FB @chadmavety55 @JeffConawayTFA @MoffettMan9 @CoachBroomfield @cmitchell2284 @247recruiting @Andrew_Ivins @Rivals @JohnGarcia_Jr pic.twitter.com/eImg1XzWaR

— Chancellor Barclay (@ChancellorB2026) January 17, 2025

The Sooners have already picked up commitments from three players in the Class of 2026, including fellow interior offensive lineman Will Conroy, who is from Cleveland.

Kaydin Jones

One of the top prospects from Oklahoma in the 2026 class, running back Kaydin Jones, posted a childhood photo of him wearing an Oklahoma uniform on X (formerly Twitter).

#OUDNA pic.twitter.com/LUYhjjrwoN

— kaydin “batman” jones (@kaydinjoness) January 15, 2025

Jones, a 4-star prospect according to On3, Rivals and ESPN, hails from Jenks, OK. On3 has Jones graded as the No. 3 player from Oklahoma in the Class of 2026.

Jones’ post comes a week after Sooners running back coach DeMarco Murray visited him at school. Murray was an OU recruit when Jones' dad, Kejuan Jones, was in the Sooner backfield in 2004 and 2005. Other schools have recently followed a similar strategy with Kaydin, though, as coaches from Oklahoma State and Arizona State took in-school visits with Jones this past week.