Ducks Digest

Oregon Ducks To Land 5-Star Recruit Mark Bowman Over Texas, USC, Georgia?

Aiming for the No. 1 recruiting class in 2026, the Oregon Ducks and coach Dan Lanning are high on the radar for tight end recruit Mark Bowman as he schedules visits with the Ducks, Georgia Bulldogs, Texas Longhorns, and USC Trojans.

Ally Osborne

Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks to the clock towards the end of the first half as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Oregon head coach Dan Lanning looks to the clock towards the end of the first half as the Oregon Ducks face the Ohio State Buckeyes Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in the quarterfinal of the College Football Playoff at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. / Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Oregon Ducks are currently locked in a battle for the No. 1 recruiting class of 2026 with the USC Trojans, and it looks like the two programs will also be battling over the No. 2 tight end in the class. California product and No. 14 athlete in the class of 2026 Mark Bowman, recently moved up his class distinction from 2027 to 2026, as well as announced his official visit plans.

Ranked a five-star recruit by the 247Sports composite, Bowman shared that he'll be visiting Texas on June 6, Georgia on June 13, USC on June 17, and ending his cross-country tour with Oregon on June 20. The recruit currently has 32 offers from across the country.

“We are planning to schedule three more," Bowman told On3 Sports. "I am trying to take some visits to Florida, Ohio State, Miami, and Tennessee before deciding on the other three visits. Alabama is another school on my list too.”

According to On3's reporting, Bowman is looking to make a decision on his recruitment closer to Early National Signing Day in December. When asked what he's looking for in a future team, Bowman explained that allowing tight ends to get vertical on the field and finding a culture that fit his goals is paramount.

“The brotherhood is big for me too. I want to play at a place where the coaches and the players are like-minded with the same goals," Bowman told On3.

Bowman also discussed why Oregon stands out to him as a potential home for his college career.

“The way they utilize their tight ends. I think I would fit into that offense good,” Bowman said to On3. “I really like the coaching staff. I feel like they’re not going anywhere, they’re pretty transparent with me. They’re truthful. And I just kind of like the vibe up there. I kind of get a family feeling and a bunch of my teammates go there.”

It's an interesting detail that Bowman has his offers from USC, Alabama, Tennessee, and Georgia posted on his main page on Instagram, with Oregon's offer being posted through his Instagram stories with the caption "#4" signifying his fourth college offer. Oregon's offer did not receive a main page post from Bowman.

Bowman brings a lot of talent to the table for the Ducks. In 2024, Bowman was a MaxPreps All-America second-team selection, which was his second time receiving a MaxPreps All-America honors. During his 2024 season, Bowman helped the Mater Dei Monarchs to a No. 1 national ranking and a MaxPreps National Championship. At 6-4, 225, Bowman also brings sought after size to a tight end corps.

"He's a legitimate top 10 prospect nationally and has been drawing a lot of Brock Bowers comparisons all off-season," said 247Sports National Recruiting Analyst Greg Biggins in a scouting report in August of 2024. "That's a lofty player comp for a player many consider one of the best college tight ends of the last 25 years but it looks warranted when you see Bowman in action. At 6-4, 220 pounds, he moves around like a slot receiver with a ton of twitch and change of direction. He has great hands and shows the ability to make plays down the field and runs really well after the catch."

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Ally Osborne
ALLY OSBORNE

A reporter for Oregon Ducks on SI, Ally Osborne is a born and raised Oregonian. She graduated from the University of Oregon's School of Journalism and Communications in 2021 after interning for the Oregon Sports Network with experience working on live sporting broadcasts for ESPN, FOX Sports, the PAC 12 Network, and Runnerspace. Osborne continued her career in Bend, Oregon as a broadcast reporter in 2021 for Central Oregon Daily News while writing for Oregon Ducks on SI. Since then, Osborne is entering her third season reporting for the publication and is frequently the on-site reporter for home games at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. She is currently the host of lifestyle shows "Everyday Northwest" and "Tower Talk Live" for KOIN 6 News in Portland, Oregon. Osborne also works as a sports reporter for KOIN 6's "Game On" sports department. In her free time, Osborne is an avid graphic designer, making art commissions for athletes across her home state. Osborne's designs have even become tattoos for a few Duck athletes.

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