Where Does Oklahoma Go After Latest Running Back Decommitment?

After the Sooners spent months bolstering their 2027 recruiting class, they saw one of their commits back out of his pledge on Sunday.

Running back Jaxsen Stokes of Chatsworth, CA, flipped his commitment from Oklahoma to Cal on Sunday, per a report from Hayes Fawcett of On3.

BREAKING: Class of 2027 RB Jaxsen Stokes has Flipped his Commitment from Oklahoma to Cal, he tells me for @Rivals⁰
The 5’9 195 RB had been Committed to the Sooners since November

“The best in California play for California! Psalm 23:3”⁰https://t.co/sSbDYWdoCF pic.twitter.com/0n1gFUGRvh
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) April 26, 2026

Stokes is a consensus 3-star recruit who committed to OU during the fall. He was recruited by former OU running backs coach DeMarco Murray, and just a few months after the Sooners hired Deland McCullough as his replacement, Stokes has made the decision to play elsewhere.

Now, OU has just one tailback — Keldrid Ben — committed from the Class of 2027.

Here is where Oklahoma stands on the recruiting trail in regards to running backs:

Standout commit

It’s worth noting that Ben is among the nation’s best 2027 running back prospects.

A native of Montgomery, TX, Ben is the No. 86 overall prospect nationally, per Rivals, and he is a consensus 4-star recruit. He rushed for 1,560 yards and 15 touchdowns as a junior in 2025, and he also logged three touchdown receptions.

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Between Ben’s verbal commitment and the signings of 4-star backs Jonathan Hatton Jr. and DeZephen Walker to end the 2026 cycle, Oklahoma’s running back room is set up well for the future.

Even after Stokes’ decommitment, there isn’t a need to panic about the future of the position.

Micah Rhodes, the No. 1 running back prospect from the Class of 2028, per 247Sports, also decommitted from OU in April. But the Sooners still have nearly two years to pursue high-level players before players from that class sign their national letters of intent.

Other running back offers

According to Rivals, the Sooners have offered 17 running backs from the Class of 2027. Of those, four of them have verbally committed to a school.

Oklahoma is in the mix for a handful of the players that they’ve offered.

Sam Spiegelman of Rivals reported in December that Trey Stewart has the Sooners in his top five.

NEWS: Touted 2027 ATH Trey Stewart is down to 5 top schools, he tells @Rivals

More: https://t.co/pnQtMWoJDu pic.twitter.com/qZdF1s8OLI
— Sam Spiegelman (@samspiegs) December 1, 2025

Stewart is a running back from Little Rock, AR, who stands 6-2 and weighs 190. He took an unofficial visit to OU’s game against Ole Miss on Oct. 25.

After a game day visit and conversation with @DeMarcoMurray, I am blessed to receive an offer from The University Of Oklahoma! pic.twitter.com/Z36RjMh5tS
— Trey Stewart (@TreyStewart2027) October 25, 2025

Per Spiegelman’s report, Ole Miss, Penn State, Arkansas and Miami are the four other schools in the mix for Stewart.

Oklahoma has also built rapport with Chandler, AZ, running back Noah Roberts, as he included the Sooners in his top 10, according to Fawcett.

NEWS: Four-Star RB Noah Roberts is down to 10 Schools, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’1 195 RB from Chandler, AZ is ranked as a Top 5 RB in the ‘27 Class (per Rivals Industry)

Where Should He Go? https://t.co/idESGoMKcB pic.twitter.com/nyk3myHrII
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) December 9, 2025

Roberts is ranked as a 4-star and the No. 253 overall player in the 2027 class by 247Sports’ composite rankings. He logged 14 total touchdowns and more than 1,400 all-purpose yards as a junior at Basha High School in 2025.

Texas and Tennessee were the only other SEC schools included in Roberts’ top 10.

What’s next?

Oklahoma still has six months until Early National Signing Day in December. There is plenty of time for the Sooners to send out new offers to running backs that they haven’t evaluated yet.

The Sooners could also build momentum at the position if their running game improves in 2026.

McCullough joined Oklahoma’s staff after previously serving as the running backs coach at Notre Dame and USC. He also has NFL experience with prior stints with the Las Vegas Raiders and the Kansas City Chiefs.

Some of the running backs that have developed under McCullough include Ashton Jeanty, Jeremiyah Love, Jadarian Price, Kareem Hunt and Tevin Coleman.

McCullough has an outstanding track record with running backs. And if the Sooners can run well in his first year on staff, Oklahoma could emerge as a frontrunner for some of the nation’s top backs.

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