Kirby Smart & Dan Lanning Receive Upsetting Recruiting News as 5-Star Target’s College Football Inclination Confirmed

With already four 5-star commitments in hand, the Georgia Bulldogs are only second to the Longhorns when it comes to recruitment. Well, when you have someone like Kirby Smart at the head of your program, you expect nothing less, right? Because recruiting is one of the best strengths of Smart and is the main reason why the Bulldogs are title contenders every year. Joel Klatt of Fox Sports even said that beating Kirby’s Bulldogs would not even be an option. “You just can’t quit Kirby Smart,” said Klatt. “When Kirby Smart gets into these situations… they win the game,” Klatt said. But the days of the Bulldogs effortlessly stockpiling blue-chip talent may be slipping away as they may lose another 5-star target—Mark Bowman.

Bowman is one name that the Bulldogs have kept on the radar for a while now. So certain to get him on the team, the Mater Dei Monarchs’ tight end even received an offer from the Dawgs in Jan 2024. Bowman even visited the UGA program a handful of times. But this still does not seem to be enough for the 6-foot-5 225lbs TE, as per recent reports. As revealed by Chad Simmons of On3, the Bulldogs are not the only team in the race to get Bowman’s commitment. “Oregon may hold a slight edge heading into the spring,” Simmons said.

This still made sense as to why Bowman would consider Dan Lanning’s Ducks because just like the Dawgs, Lanning’s Oregon is also one of the title contenders this season. Fox Sports’ Joel Klatt also expressed his belief in Lanning, saying, “I think it could be close, but I’ve got Oregon and Georgia as the national championship game as Dan Lanning takes on his former team.” However, the latest development in Bowman’s future has put both the Dawgs and Ducks’ pursuit in danger as Lincoln Riley does not seem to let go of a local talent away and has his sights set on locking down one of the nation’s premier SoCal 5-star TEs.

USC Trojans’ resurgence on the recruiting trail has been fueled by an aggressive approach, particularly in its own backyard. Tight ends and inside receivers coach Chad Savage was indeed savage in building ties with local standouts, and the latest beneficiary of that effort appears to be Mater Dei Monarchs’ five-star tight end, Mark Bowman. After showing out in week 2 of the OT7 game, Bowman has become a prime target for the Trojans, and On3’s Chad Simmons delivered some upsetting news for Georgia and Oregon. “USC is surging here. Nobody is recruiting Mark Bowman as hard as the local program. The Santa Ana (Calif.) Mater Dei tight end visited Alabama, then USC a day later earlier this month, and Lincoln Riley’s program is picking up some steam.”

That’s a nightmare scenario for Smart and Lanning, both of whom have been heavily involved in Mark Bowman’s recruitment from the jump. Simmons made it clear that Georgia and Oregon aren’t backing down, though, saying, “Georgia has been there from day one, and the Bulldogs aren’t going anywhere. Bowman will be back in Athens in April. Oregon is another one to watch. He has a great connection with Drew Mehringer.” Those relationships are keeping both programs in the race, but there’s a shift happening in real-time, and USC is forcing its way to the front of the line.

What makes this all the more frustrating for the Dawgs and Ducks is that, up until recently, USC wasn’t viewed as a major player in this battle. “Georgia and Oregon have been talking a lot, USC not as much,” Simmons pointed out. “But the Big Ten program in Los Angeles needs to be talked about more.” That last line says it all—USC, under Riley and with its revamped recruiting staff, is becoming a legitimate threat in these high-profile battles, something that wasn’t always the case. Texas, another program eager to make noise, will get its shot when Bowman visits Austin next weekend, but the Trojans have already built a real advantage.

This isn’t an isolated incident, either. USC has been flipping key targets left and right, including four-star quarterback Jonas Williams, who originally pledged to Oregon before making a late switch to the Trojans in February. That one stung for Lanning, but Bowman’s potential commitment would hurt on a different level. Mater Dei, Bowman’s high school, is the top-ranked program in the country and a factory for elite talent. The fact that USC is not only in the mix but favored over Alabama in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) should set off alarms in Athens and Eugene.

The bigger picture here is clear—Lincoln Riley isn’t letting Southern California’s best players leave the state without a fight. The Trojans’ personnel and coaching moves have been aimed at fortifying their recruiting efforts, and GM/recruit-whisperer Chad Bowden took the lead in making sure USC stays aggressive. The NIL arms race is in full effect, and while Georgia and Oregon still have plenty of firepower, they’re quickly realizing that locking down elite talent isn’t as easy as it used to be.

Mark Bowman got the VIP treatment at USC—and he loved it

Mater Dei’s star TE Mark Bowman is one of the most sought-after recruits in the country, and USC rolled out the red carpet for him during his visit. Ranked No. 20 overall, No. 2 tight end, and No. 4 in California per the On3 Industry Rankings, Bowman has elite programs battling for his commitment. But after his recent visit to Los Angeles, the Trojans might have taken the lead.

“They showed a lot of love,” Bowman said. “The whole coaching staff was waiting for me when I got there.” That’s the kind of reception you give to a priority recruit, and USC made sure he felt it. His visit included some one-on-one time with Lincoln Riley, where they broke down how Bowman would fit into USC’s high-powered offense. After that? A campus tour, dorm visits, a big dinner, and then the grand finale—an unforgettable moment inside the Coliseum.

“They took us in a sprinter van to the Coliseum, and Chad Bowden told me, ‘I want you to try to envision yourself here, like you’re walking down on game day.’” With a hype video on the big screen and the torch lit, Bowman was the center of attention. Smart and Lanning? They’re probably not thrilled.