Oklahoma added a dynamic defensive playmaker to its 2022 recruiting class as four-star edge rusher Gracen Halton picked the Sooners live on CBS Sports HQ. Halton — a product of St. Augustine High School in San Diego — chose the Sooners over finalists Miami and Oregon.
Halton ranks among the first major defensive line additions of new OU head coach Brent Venables and defensive line coach Todd Bates, often considered one of the best in the nation. His addition pushes the Sooners past North Carolina for the No. 9 recruiting class in the nation.
Listed at 6-foot-3 and 270 pounds, Halton has the physical tools to push for a starting job once he gets on campus. The 247Sports Composite Rankings list Halton as the No. 258 overall player in the nation and the No. 34 defensive lineman in the class.
247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Greg Biggins had this scouting report on Halton in 2020:
Halton moves very well for a 6-3, 270 pound lineman and shows the versatility to play multiple positions on the defensive line. He tested well, highlighted by a 4.59-shuttle and a 33″ vertical jump and showed that explosiveness in the drills. He’s a powerful lineman who can physically overwhelm you at the point of attack but it’s his athleticism that makes him special. He moves well laterally and projects as a player we think can be effective as both a run stuffer and a quality pass rusher.
Halton is the top defensive lineman in OU’s recruiting class, joining three-stars Cedric Roberts and Alton Tarber. The Sooners are also adding 10 transfers, including Tulane DL Jeffery Johnson.
