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5-Star Mater Dei Recruit Mark Bowman On 'Crazy' USC Trojans Visit

The USC Trojans have been going all-in for Mater Dei (Calif.) five-star tight end Mark Bowman. USC hosted the local blue-chip recruit last week for an unofficial visit and he raved about his time on campus. Can the Trojans land the coveted pass-catcher?

Kendell Hollowell

Sep 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the second half against the Rice Owls at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Sep 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the second half against the Rice Owls at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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USC Trojans tight ends/inside receivers coach Chad Savage’s ability to build strong relationships has been on display very early in his time in Los Angeles and that includes Mater Dei (Calif.) five-star tight end Mark Bowman. Even in the NIL era, developing relationships still plays a crucial role in the recruiting process. 

The Trojans made big moves in their personnel and coaching staff to ensure they go all-in when it came to keeping highly touted Southern California prospects from leaving the state, and general manager Chad Bowden is at the forefront. Bowden has prioritized local talent and that means targeting prospects from the No. 1 ranked high school football team in the country. 

Lincoln Riley
Sep 3, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts in the second half against the Rice Owls at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Max Stienecker, who was serving as the general manager at Wisconsin, joined the Trojans staff as the Executive Director of Personnel. Stienecker has played a role in Bowman’s recruitment. 

"It's three people," Bowman told 247Sports. "Chad Bowden, Max Stein, and Chad Savage.

"They're always checking in on me. I would say those relationships have improved the most for sure. [Savage] made it a priority to reach out to me a lot. Especially because before that, USC didn't really recruit me."

Bowman is the No. 20 overall prospect, No. 2 tight end and No. 4 player from the state of California according to the On3 Industry Rankings. He caught 32 passes for 435 yards and eight touchdowns in 12 games this past season for Mater Dei. 

The coveted pass catcher was on campus last week with his high school teammate, four-star defensive lineman and Oregon commit Tomuhini Topui. USC has been to known to roll out the red carpet and leave quite an impression on recruits, even if it is for a short visit. Bowman raved about his time in Los Angeles. 

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MORE: USC Trojans To Land Another 5-Star Recruit? Mater Dei Tight End Mark Bowman Visits

“They showed a lot of love," said Bowman. "The whole coaching staff was waiting for me when I got there.

"I got to sit down with Lincoln and go over how he would use me in the offense and talked about how he sees me as a player there. Then we got a good dinner, got a little campus tour, got to see the dorms, and then at the end of the night, they took us in a sprinter van to the Coliseum. And basically, Chad Bowden was like, 'I want you to try to envision yourself here, like you're walking down on game day.'

"So we walked down the stairs and they played the hype video on the board and lit the torch which was crazy. It was literally just me and my family there and they did it all for us."

Lincoln Riley
Dec 27, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Texas A&M Aggies in the second half at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Bowman is one of a number of USC targets that have reclassified from the 2027 class to the 2026 since the turn of the new year. After not being involved early on, the Trojans have gained momentum for Bowman and are a major player for the five-star recruit. 

"They're doing very well," said Bowman. "USC is easily in my top five so they're doing good for sure.

"They show a lot of love and put in a lot of effort. They want me to be up there as much as possible."

The Trojans are the slight favorites for Bowman over Alabama according to the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM). Bowman plays his high school football an hour away from USC's campus and the Trojans will certainly try to have him visit as often as possible.

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Kendell Hollowell
KENDELL HOLLOWELL

Kendell Hollowell, a Southern California native has been been covering collegiate athletics since 2020 via radio and digital journalism. His experience includes covering programs such as the USC Trojans, Vanderbilt Commodores and Alabama Crimson Tide. Kendell He also works in TV production for the NFL Network. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kendell was a collegiate athlete on the University of Wyoming and Adams State football team. He is committed to bringing in-depth insight and analysis for USC athletics.

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