Last season’s 7-6 finish felt like a lousy sitcom’s weak finale, but Lincoln Riley flipped the script fast and locked on one goal: recruiting top talent and building a stronger team. That’s exactly what he’s doing with his No. 1 2026 class, with 27 commits and a 63% blue-chip rate. What’s even more impressive is Riley’s even outsmarting recruiting giants like Texas, Georgia, and Alabama, who still scramble to lock in top prospects. This time, USC flat-out snatched a five-star tight end from Georgia, leaving coach Kirby Smart scrambling and the rest of college football on high alert.

For USC, their plan is sorted; they will hunt top prospects and fill up their team. Even their GM, Chad Bowden, said it. “We’re going to take the most high school kids this place has ever taken this year.” He truly believes “a culture can be built through recruiting, and it can be done, especially when they’re from high school. We’re [going to] recruit the most guys we ever have.” No wonder that’s the case with them. That’s exactly why Mater Dei’s Mark Bowman is trusting them over big dawgs. Imagine this: despite being favorites for Mark, they could get him on his team.

When your caliber is compared to a player like Brock Bowers, that’s not an easy loss for Georgia to handle. Steve Wiltfong described the entire process on On3 Recruits. “But look, I talked to Mark Bowman’s father, talked to sources regarding that recruitment, and it was rapid. USC’s movement from no better than third to first. Georgia was the leader in my opinion, and I think they had a big gap over Texas even, based on what I was hearing there.”

What made the most impact on Bowman? “USC, relentless recruitment, opportunities on and off the field, close to home, close to family, for a program on the rise—they were able to get Mark Bowman to jump in the fold and shut it down,” Wiltfong added.

Bowman is the third player from Mater Dei High School to commit to the Trojans. He joins defensive lineman Tomuhini Topui and edge rusher Shaun Scott. With Bowman, USC now boasts 27 commitments. 17 from Southern California, solidifying Lincoln Riley’s regional recruiting dominance.

Bowman’s commitment followed multiple spring visits to campus, forging strong relationships with the coaching staff. His March 10th visit was particularly impactful, including exclusive access to coaches and facilities alongside Topui. USC pulled out all the stops, treating Bowman and his family to a Coliseum tour, a Trojan torch lighting ceremony, and a personalized hype video on the scoreboard.

Now, Mark Bowman’s committed, and he’s actively recruiting more people. “Come join the family,” Mark Bowman said. “We are taking over the city! All of the talent that’s here, we gotta bring it to USC.” But is this really a move to chase excellence or a move for money?

Did NIL play its part well in Mark Bowman’s recruitment?

“There’s a lot of excitement around this program,” Wiltfong said. “In the NIL era, USC is as powerful as any program in the country right now.” That’s how Lincoln Riley’s new program is shaping up, setting an example for all other programs in the Big 10. It’s either getting in blue-chip prospects like Elbert Hill or Keenyi Pepe or flipping top targets like Floyd Boucard right from South Carolina’s hands. Riley is playing all his cards right. And now, with the addition of Mark Bowman to his team, the hype train isn’t just rolling—it’s full throttle with no brakes.

But this new NIL era is just making things worse for Kirby Smart and his team. Smart never really supported players running behind NIL over experience and records, and then the transfer portal is another getaway for them.  And all this didn’t come out of the woods; remember how five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell had links to Georgia but then moved to Miami for a $2 million annual NIL deal?

Now? Even Mark Bowman is projected to earn $8–10 million over his USC career. Imagine a young kid who didn’t take a single snap in CFB might earn more than some coaches and coordinators. Although NIL was a factor, Wiltfong highlighted that production still wins. “Look, it’s modern recruiting. Now, I know people are going to say that USC bought Mark Bowman. You don’t get into these recruitments, you don’t get into these positions without a product to sell on the football field first and foremost,” Wiltfong said.

USC’s Trojans have made significant structural changes. Following the 2024 season, they hired GM Chad Bowden to revamp recruiting. Bowden’s urgent approach paid off: Their 2026 class boasts 27 commitments—one five-star and sixteen four-stars—with 63% from California. Even after five-star cornerback Elbert Hill reclassified to 2025, USC remains top-ranked. They’re not just accumulating talent; they’re building a sustainable program.

They offered Bowman more than a lucrative contract; they presented a future of first-round potential, offensive opportunities, and elite development. As Wiltfong noted, “Bowman has aspirations of playing football at the highest level, being drafted in the first round, and if he didn’t believe that USC was a place and offense and a program that could get the best football out of him on the football field, they wouldn’t have been at the table.”

So that way Bowman shuts down all the buzz of his money-minded move and commits to the Trojans.