Oklahoma's Top 20 recruiting what-ifs: No. 17, Hatari Byrd

Former 4-star safety was a hard hitter who had 15 tackles in a game, but couldn't seize a starting spot and was eventually dismissed from the team

John E. Hoover | Jan 18, 2021

Hatari Byrd played three seasons at Oklahoma, but still left a lot of potential when he was dismissed from the team prior to his senior season.

Byrd was a 4-star safety when he signed with the Sooners out of Fresno in 2013. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound Byrd brought with him the reputation of a thunderous hitter, a fearless assassin patrolling the defensive backfield.

He played in five games as a true freshman, then won the starting job as a sophomore in 2014, playing in all 13 games, even compiling 15 tackles in the second game of the year against Tulsa. But he struggled in the Cotton Bowl in a shocking loss to Texas, and never got his starting job back as other defensive backs emerged.

He was a backup again in 2015 and got plenty of playing time in September, but his snaps dwindled. He tried to get reps by moving to outside linebacker at midseason, but that produced only minimal playing time.

Bob Stoops and Hatari Byrd during the 2014 Texas game / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The following spring, Bob Stoops announced that Byrd had been dismissed from the team for violating team rules, and that he had given Byrd his blessing to transfer anywhere he wanted.

Byrd ended up at Division II Texas A&M-Commerce, and as a senior he made 41 tackles as an outside linebacker and earned honorable mention all-conference honors.

At OU, Byrd played in 30 games but made just two starts his sophomore year.

He was a 4-star recruit by both 247 Sports and Rivals and was named to the Semper Fi All-American Game.

- - - - -

This Series

National Signing Day is around the corner, so SI Sooners is examining Oklahoma’s biggest recruiting what-ifs of the last 20 years.

NOTE: We've changed the theme from "regrets" to "what-ifs" because it's hard for many to get past the negative connotation of regret. Also, "what-if" is a more accurate depiction of what we're trying to convey.

The series wasn't intended to put anyone in a bad light. It's not about the coaching staff regretting that they signed these guys, or the players regretting they came to Oklahoma.

This is about players who arrived (or almost arrived) at Oklahoma but then, for whatever reason, left well before they reached their potential.

This is what college football recruiting is all about: the risk-reward that comes with not knowing a prospect's potential. For every Adrian Peterson, there's a Rhett Bomar. For every Tommie Harris, there's a Mo Dampeer.

The time period is since 2000, when online recruiting services and the current "star" system became prominent.

The rankings were compiled by SI Sooners publisher John Hoover, Sports Animal host Al Eschbach, KREF host James Hale and Sooner Spectator publisher Jay Upchurch.

- - - - -

How Hoover voted:

I didn't rank Byrd in my top 20 of all the Sooners' recruiting what-ifs of the last 20 years. That doesn't mean I wasn't excited to watch him play. High school players don't often come in with with Byrd's reputation for big hits or desire for contact.

No. 17 on my list was 5-star linebacker Ricky DeBerry, who was voted at No. 19 on our list (follow the link below to read about DeBerry).

- - - - -

Top 20 Oklahoma Recruiting What-Ifs

(since 2000)

No. 20: LB Mike Reed

No. 19: LB Ricky DeBerry

No. 18: CB Parrish Cobb

Published Jan 18, 2021

JOHN E. HOOVER

John is an award-winning journalist whose work spans five decades in Oklahoma, with multiple state, regional and national awards as a sportswriter at various newspapers. During his newspaper career, John covered the Dallas Cowboys, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Oklahoma Sooners, the Oklahoma State Cowboys, the Arkansas Razorbacks and much more. In 2016, John changed careers, migrating into radio and launching a YouTube channel, and has built a successful independent media company, DanCam Media. From there, John has written under the banners of Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Fan Nation and a handful of local and national magazines while hosting daily sports talk radio shows in Oklahoma City, Tulsa and statewide. John has also spoken on Capitol Hill in Oklahoma City in a successful effort to put more certified athletic trainers in Oklahoma public high schools. Among the dozens of awards he has won, John most cherishes his national "Beat Writer of the Year" from the Associated Press Sports Editors, Oklahoma's "Best Sports Column" from the Society of Professional Journalists, and Two "Excellence in Sports Medicine Reporting" Awards from the National Athletic Trainers Association. John holds a bachelor's degree in Mass Communications from East Central University in Ada, OK. Born and raised in North Pole, Alaska, John played football and wrote for the school paper at Ada High School in Ada, OK. He enjoys books, movies and travel, and lives in Broken Arrow, OK, with his wife and two kids.