Jonathan Hatton Jr. believers get confirmation from Isaiah Sategna ahead of fall camp

As the son of an Olympic sprinter and one of the fastest players in college football, Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna III knows speed, so it caught my attention when he was the one that mentioned someone else's speed impressed him.

SoonerScoop's George Stoia asked Sategna right before the Sooners started fall camp this week what player outside of his position group that he's excited to watch, and Sategna immediately answered freshman running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. before explaining what has already stood out about the 2026 signee that has only been around since January.

"He's gonna be a good one," Sategna said. "... Shoot, he's explosive, big-bodied guy but, I mean, he's pretty fast too. I would say he's one of the fastest on the team."

Sategna didn't say the fastest because that title likely belongs to him, but Hatton already being on the same level while also being much bigger is exciting for the future of the Sooners' backfield, or even the now.

Isaiah Sategna III gives more belief Jonathan Hatton Jr. can contribute immediately with shades of Adrian Peterson

Hatton is listed at 6-foot-1 and 205 pounds but it doesn't slow him down, which has drawn lofty comparisons to OU legend Adrian Peterson, who came in at 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds as a freshman back in 2004. That frame had Peterson ready to immediately contribute as he rushed for 1,925 yards as a freshman and was the Heisman Trophy runner-up.

However, even if the size is comparable, it would still be unfair to give Peterson-level of expectations to Hatton. This is just about having the frame to be ready now instead of later.

Even with a crowded backfield that returns Xavier Robinson and Tory Blaylock, and has Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant turning heads, some still anticipate Hatton can contribute immediately this season. His size is part of that, as he already looked the part just months after finishing high school during the Sooners' spring camp, but he also has everything else and is obviously impressing teammates. If teammates and media are impressed, then coaches likely are too.

Read more: Predicting Oklahoma's 2026 depth chart heading into fall camp

Hatton was DeMarco Murray's final massive recruiting win before he left in February to become the Kansas City Chiefs' new running backs coach. Hatton had initially pledged to Oklahoma, but other programs never backed off, and Texas A&M eventually convinced him to flip. Just before signing day, though, the Sooners won him back.

According to the 247Sports Composite, Hatton was the No. 4 running back in the 2026 class and No. 82 overall player as a consensus four-star recruit from Cibolo Steele High School in Texas. He rushed for 1,308 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging 8.2 yards per carry as a senior and was also a threat as a pass-catcher. He surpassed 1,000 rushed yards the final three seasons of his high school career.

Hatton also utilized his speed on the track, running a sub-11.00 100-meter as a sophomore.

Hatton has the same benefit as Avant as newcomers in Norman with everyone getting a reset this offseason. Deland McCullough is now leading the position, and it's clear he doesn't care what others have done in the past or where they came from, whether that be Oklahoma or Colorado State or Cibolo Steele High School.

McCullough hasn't raved about Hutton like he has the others, likely because Hatton is still learning through mistakes as a freshman. But fall camp hasn't even started yet and others are already noticing what Hutton has, so it might not be long before Hutton is the surprise leader of the Sooners' backfield.

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