Notre Dame checks in on an elite 2026 running back, and they are battling with a long list of elite programs for him
It’s the open period, and that means the Notre Dame staff is on the road to check in on some of the top 2026 recruits across the country. That included running back coach Deland McCullough, who stopped in to see Cibolo (Texas) Steele star running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. on Tuesday. He is one of […]
It’s the open period, and that means the Notre Dame staff is on the road to check in on some of the top 2026 recruits across the country. That included running back coach Deland McCullough, who stopped in to see Cibolo (Texas) Steele star running back Jonathan Hatton Jr. on Tuesday. He is one of the top overall runners in the country, and clearly has the attention of the Irish coaches.
There is a long list of elite programs that are currently pursuing Hatton. Some of his top offers include the Fighting Irish, Alabama, Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Oklahoma, USC, Ole Miss, Nebraska, Tennessee, Florida, Texas A&M, Auburn, Texas Tech, Michigan State, SMU, Missouri, Vanderbilt, Wisconsin, BYU, Houston and Baylor among others.
The 6-0, 205-pound runner is ranked as a consensus four-star across every major recruiting platform. Hatton is currently pegged as the No. 40 overall player and No. 3 running back in the 2026 recruiting class on the 247Sports Composite ranking. He is also ranked as the No. 5 player in the state of Texas, an area that has a strong argument as the top developer of next level talent.
As a junior, Hatton was remarkable for Steele. In 12 games, he rushed for 1,147 yards and 14 touchdowns. Hatton did so on just 121 carries, an incredible average of 9.5 yards per carry.
With the recent success of guys like Audric Estime and Jeremiyah Love, Notre Dame should have no problems attracting top level talent at the running back position. Hatton is on the short list of runners to know. Coach McCullough has quickly built that room to be among the best in college football, and it has been impressive to see.
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