The USC Trojans currently have the No. 1 2026 recruiting class according to both Rivals and 247 Sports. They aim to continue building upon that standing and holding on to it until signing day in December.
One of the top players in the class, and in the state of California, is Mater Dei TE Mark Bowman. Originally a 2027 prospect, Bowman reclassified to the 2026 class just a short while ago. That did not hurt his stock as he remains the No. 1 TE in the 247 Sports ranking and No. 2 on On3’s rankings.
During his recruitment, the top three schools have been Georgia, Oregon, and USC. Back in January, Georgia was the leader in recruiting predictions. Then USC took the lead in February, followed by Oregon jumping up in the prediction.
Today, On3 updated their RPM and put USC back in the lead to land the commitment of Mark Bowman.
USC Trojans Lead All Schools In Recruitment Of Mark Bowman
We are still a long way away from anything being finalized, but the Trojans hold a slight edge over Oregon, and now Texas is in the mix with Georgia.
- USC: 27.9%
- Oregon 24.4%
- Texas: 15.8%
- Georgia: 8.9%
Bowman currently has 3 official visits scheduled. June 6th with Texas, June 17th with USC, and June 20th with Oregon. He has two Mater Dei teammates committed already to Oregon, so it will be interesting to see if that sways his decision.
However, there are other Mater Dei players trending towards SC, including a potential flip from Oregon to the Trojans by DL Tomuhini Topui.
In 2024, the 6’4, 225-pound tight end caught 32 passes for 435 yards and 8 touchdowns. Mater Dei finished as the No. 1 team in the entire country.
Chad Savage has been the primary USC Trojans coach involved in Bowman’s recruiting of late, which is a great sign considering his recruiting prowess and the relationship already built with SoCal High School coaches.
Also Read: USC Trojans 2026 Recruiting Class