Cal secures a talented three-star running back, Jaxsen Stokes, leaving the Oklahoma Sooners' historic 2027 class reeling
Three-star running back Jaxsen Stokes from Chatsworth, California’s Sierra Canyon High School, has flipped his commitment from the Oklahoma Sooners to the California Golden Bears, according to On3 and Rivals insider Hayes Fawcett.
The announcement came on April 26, 2026, ending Stokes’ roughly five-month pledge to OU.
Stokes cited a strong desire to stay home, stating: “The best in California play for California! Psalm 23:3.”
The flip marks the second decommitment from Oklahoma’s running back group in recent months, following Class of 2028 prospect Micah Rhodes’ departure in early April.
As a junior in 2025 at Sierra Canyon, Stokes rushed for 722 yards and 12 touchdowns on 109 carries while adding 12 receptions for 155 yards and two scores. He stands at approximately 5-foot-9 and 195 pounds, offering a compact, productive skill set as a consensus three-star prospect.
247Sports currently ranks him as the No. 39 running back in the 2027 class.
Oklahoma got involved early in Stokes’ recruitment, becoming just the fifth Power Four program to extend an offer on January 21, 2025. He committed to the Sooners on November 7, 2025, one day before Oklahoma’s upset victory over then-No. 7 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
The pledge came shortly after an unofficial visit to Norman on October 25 during the Ole Miss game weekend.
During his time committed, Oklahoma underwent a change at running backs coach, replacing DeMarco Murray with Deland McCullough. Stokes returned for another unofficial visit on March 7 during the “Future Freaks” junior day and had an official visit scheduled for May 29-31, though it remains unclear if that trip will still occur.
With Stokes’ departure, Oklahoma’s 2027 class now features only one committed running back: Keldrid Ben from Montgomery, Texas. Ben, rated as high as the No. 86 overall prospect by Rivals, provides a different physical profile and remains a key piece in the backfield plans.
Despite the loss, the Sooners’ 2027 recruiting class remains exceptionally strong. It now sits at 19 commits and continues to hold the No. 1 national ranking in the 247Sports Composite.
Rivals currently lists OU at No. 3 behind Texas A&M and Texas Tech, but the class depth is headlined by five-stars like OT Cooper Hackett, LB Cooper Witten, and IOL Kaeden Penny, plus a robust group of four-stars, keeps it firmly on track to rank among the greatest in program history.
Brent Venables and his staff have built significant momentum coming off a College Football Playoff appearance and with a preseason top-10 outlook for 2026.
The emphasis on high school talent provides long-term developmental stability, allowing the transfer portal to serve as a supplement rather than the primary roster-building tool.
Oklahoma will likely look to add another running back or two later in the cycle to bolster depth behind Keldrid Ben.
For now, the focus remains on maintaining the class’s elite overall trajectory in Norman.