Oklahoma’s 2026 freshmen class may not be done waiting its turn.
The Sooners have already seen what a first-year impact can look like. In 2026, Courtland Guillory stepped in at cornerback and tied for the team lead with seven pass breakups, good enough to earn On3 Freshman All-American honors. Up front, Michael Fasusi and Ryan Fodje, both blue-chip offensive line additions, piled up more than 1,000 offensive snaps combined.
OU signed 25 players in its 2026 recruiting class, and while that kind of production from year one is never easy to repeat, several newcomers have already earned strong reviews from coaches and teammates. A few of them look positioned to matter right away.
Jonathan Hatton Jr. has been one of the biggest camp stories. The freshman running back checks in at 6-foot-1 and 235 pounds, and he arrived as a consensus 4-star prospect from the Class of 2026.
Xavier Robinson praised Hatton’s speed, and John Mateer said the tailback is already a “reliable” option in the run game. Oklahoma’s backfield is crowded with Robinson, Tory Blaylock and Lloyd Avant, but Hatton’s size and skill set make him a strong candidate for a major Year 1 role.
The offensive line picture has opened the door for Noah Best, too. The freshman center is in the mix to start early because of Jake Maikkula’s injury, and Brent Venables was already talking up Best’s steady growth before Maikkula went down. Best is listed at 6-foot-4 and 319 pounds, and he’s competing with Fodje and Caleb Nitta for the starting center job while Maikkula is out.
On the edge, Oklahoma doesn’t need to force a freshman into a starting job. Taylor Wein, Adepoju Adebawore and Danny Okoye were all retained after the 2025 season, and that group should handle the heavy lifting.
Still, Jake Kreul has the look of a freshman who won’t stay quiet for long. He was OU’s highest-ranked signee in the 2026 class, with ESPN grading him as a 5-star prospect and the other major outlets listing him as a 4-star.
Adebawore said Kreul was “far” ahead of the freshman-year learning curve, and Bowe Bentley called him a “freak.” Even with veterans ahead of him, Kreul is a player who could get work in conference and non-conference games.
Another name to watch is James “Tank” Carrington. The defensive lineman is listed at 6-foot-2 and 295 pounds, and David Stone said Carrington “is going to be special.” Stone and Jayden Jackson are locked in at the top of the rotation, but Carrington could carve out a meaningful role behind them and emerge as the next freshman to make noise on the defensive line.
Special teams should also offer a path. Peyton Bowen pointed to defensive backs Markel Ford and Lebron Bauer, along with defensive end Daniel Norman, as freshmen who could play notable special teams roles in 2026. Ford and Bauer are both from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, while Norman is a 6-foot-3, 241-pound edge rusher from Hollywood, FL, and Bowen said he has been “popping up on special teams a lot,”
Oklahoma’s freshman receivers may join that group as well. The Sooners signed Jayden Petit, Daniel Odom, Jahsiear Rogers and Xavier Okwufulueze in December, and Petit made an early impression in the spring game with five catches for 70 yards. That kind of showing could put him in position for special teams work in his first season, much like Elijah Thomas and Manny Choice did in 2025.
At quarterback, Bentley is still battling Whitt Newbauer for the No. 2 spot behind John Mateer, and Newbauer appears to be in the better position to serve as the backup. Even so, Bentley should see the field a few times in 2026. He struggled in the spring game, finishing 5 of 13 for 35 yards and two interceptions, but game reps against UTEP and possibly other lopsided matchups should give him opportunities.
DeZephen Walker is another freshman running back who could get a taste of action. At 5-foot-10 and 216 pounds, he brings more size to the position, and UTEP could give Oklahoma a chance to empty the bench and see whether Walker is ready for more later in the season.
The larger picture is simple: more freshmen may play meaningful snaps than usual. The NCAA’s new “5-for-5 rule,” passed during the summer, gives student-athletes five years to play five seasons and effectively removes redshirts from the equation. That changes the roster math for Venables and his staff, and it could make it easier for a deeper group of first-years to get on the field in 2026.
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Brent Venables Is Counting On One Big Oklahoma Offensive Change
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Brent Venables is betting that the biggest jump comes from familiarity, health and a cleaner version of Mateer in Year 2 of the system. The Oklahoma coach has pointed to the quarterbacks development heading toward 2026, and for a team that knows it needs more consistency on offense, the hope is that another season with Arbuckle and a healthier Mateer will turn those flashes into something more reliable. [Read more 🡒]