Jonathan Hatton Jr. has wasted no time making an impression at Oklahoma, and the first thing people keep coming back to is the combination of size and speed. He’s the biggest running back on the Sooners’ roster this season, but he may also be the fastest.
Xavier Robinson, who is the elder statesman of the group and only a few pounds lighter, put it bluntly after watching the true freshman in action.
"Man, he's a big guy, but he has speed," Robinson said. "That's really what's stood out to me. Seeing a big guy that can run 22 mph at 235 (pounds) is pretty insane, man."
That kind of burst is exactly why Hatton, a former four-star prospect from Cibolo, Texas, is already in the mix for a role this fall. He looks every bit like an SEC running back, and Oklahoma is giving him a real shot to carve out touches early, even with a backfield that has plenty of bodies in it.
The Sooners have a crowded group competing for carries. Robinson is in the mix, along with last year’s leading rusher Tory Blaylock, Colorado State transfer Lloyd Avant, fellow freshman DeZephen Walker and junior Andy Bass.
Avant went into the fall with a chance to be the starter after showing steady consistency all offseason, but Robinson has been the one setting the pace through the first two weeks of camp. Blaylock, meanwhile, has been dealing with a hamstring injury he suffered during one of the team’s early practices this month.
For Hatton, the early buzz is about more than just raw power or straight-line speed. Oklahoma sees a back who could become a more complete player, and the early signs have the Sooners believing he can be “well-rounded, refined” even as a freshman.
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