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"Been a priority since he entered high school": Texas recruiting insider provides scoop on major TE target for Steve Sarkisian's Longhorns

Modified Mar 29, 2025 13:22 GMT

An insider has revealed that Steve Sarkisian’s Texas is treating five-star tight end, Mark Bowman, as an utmost priority. During Thursday's episode of the "Inside Scoop show" with Josh Newberg, On3’s Justin Wells analyzed the Longhorns’ upcoming weekend visits.

When Newberg asked if the program would prioritize either one of the elite tight end prospects Bowman and Kaiden Prothro, Wells said:

“Mark Bowman’s the priority. Mark Bowman has been a priority since he entered high school. Jeff Banks recognized this guy at the Mater Dei pipeline. Texas has shown a penchant for opening that pipeline and grabbing guys from Brandon Baker, Spencer Shannon. Number of players in Mater Dei, and this one could be the next. They absolutely love Mark Bowman. They have loved him from day one.” [8:55]

Ahead of this weekend’s visit, Bowman spoke to On3, stating his expectations from the visit. He said:

“I just want to get down there and see how the guys compete. I’m looking forward to being in the tight end room, seeing how the coaches coach, and finally getting a chance to see the offense in person—from an instructional and install standpoint.”

Steve Sarkisian is establishing the Texas Longhorns as the top destination for exceptional talent in college football. The Longhorns’ 2025 recruiting class topped every other program in the country. Repeating that feat is important for Steve Sarkisian and his staff, and prospects like Bowman are on their radar.

Competition for Steve Sarkisian and Texas in Mark Bowman’s recruitment

Mark Bowman, initially a 2027 tight end from Mater Dei, reclassified earlier this year, speeding up his recruitment process. While the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine puts Texas as the favorite in the race for Bowman, the Longhorns are getting a run for their money. Other programs are also staking their claims, with powerhouses like USC, Oregon, Georgia and Alabama, all in the mix.

The Trojans are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts, with their staff building strong relationships with Bowman. Bowman mentioned this in a chat with 247Sports, where he said:

“It’s three people, 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 a top-20 overall prospect in the 2026 class, per the On3 Industry Ranking. He’s No. 2 in his position.

About the author

Kayode is a College and High School Sports writer at Sportskeeda since June 2023. Hailing from Nigeria, he has an undergraduate degree in Linguistics and African Languages, and has previously had stints as an entertainment and politics writer for around 7 months. Adept at creating content around historical perspectives, he strives to report stories based only on verified information. His mantra is - truth is always more important than sensationalism.

A fan of the Alabama Crimson Tide football team, Kayode admires how Nick Saban developed talent at the team and delivered consistent results, and hopes that the post-Saban era is just as fruitful. He is thoroughly impressed by Johnny Manziel’s talent, and feels that Shedeur Sanders is massively underrated. Nick Saban is his all-time favorite college coach.

While Kayode believes there is little to separate college and mainstream sports, pro leagues absorbing the best athletes leads to their quality being higher. Witnessing the Colorado Buffaloes’ hot streak at start the 2023 football season was one of his all-time favorite college sports moments.

When not writing, Kayode enjoys reading and watching sports documentaries. His most recent watch was "Sir Alex Ferguson: Never Give In."

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