A couple members of the USC Trojans 2026 recruiting class have been hitting the links together as kickoff for the 2026 college football season nears.
Dec 2, 2022; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley reacts against the Utah Utes in the first half of the Pac-12 Championship at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
USC freshman tight end Mark Bowman posted a picture on his Instagram account playing golf on the coast with his teammate, freshman quarterback Jonas Williams . Bowman and Williams both make up part of USC's top ranked 2026 recruiting class. Take a look at the picture below.
Could this be the next great quarterback-tight end combination for USC? It's unlikely the two will be playing much together on Saturdays this upcoming season, but considering how highly rated they are and them both being freshman, the future could be bright.
Nov 29, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (right) talks with quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) in the second half against the UCLA Bruins at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Mark Bowman is a 6-4, 235 pound tight end out of Santa Ana, California . He was rated as a five-star recruit and ranked as the No. 4 tight end in the 2026 recruiting class according to Rivals Industry rankings.
Bowman is just one of 35 commits in USC's 2026 recruiting class that is ranked No. 1 in the country. He is a freshman to keep an eye on, not just for USC, but the whole country.
The tight end position in USC coach Lincoln Riley's offense has been able to thrive. Behind wide receivers Makai Lemon , Ja'Kobi Lane, and Tanook Hines , a pair of tight ends: Lake McRee and Walker Lyons , led USC in receiving during the 2025 season.
McRee hauled in 30 receptions for 450 yards and four touchdowns while Lyons had 12 receptions for 223 yards and two touchdowns. McRee is now in the NFL with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Lyons transferred to the BYU Cougars . The door is open for Bowman to step in and contribute right away.
Nov 22, 2025; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Southern California Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up before the game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images | Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images
Jonas Williams is a 6-1, 215 pound quarterback out of Frankfort, Illinois. He was rated as a four-star recruit and ranked as the No. 7 quarterback in the 2026 class per 247Sports.
Williams joins a USC quarterback room headlined by starter, Jayden Maiava . Maiava will be entering his third season at USC and second as the full time starting quarterback. He transferred from the UNLV Rebels to USC prior to the 2024 season. Maiava started out as the USC backup in 2024, but became the starter towards the end of the year.
He went in to 2025 as the starting quarterback and thrived. Maiava threw for 3,711 yards and 24 touchdowns, helping lead the the Trojans to a nine-win season. He had the opportunity to enter the 2026 NFL Draft but opted to come back to USC for another year.
As a true freshman, Williams will be able to learn under Maiava and use those tools for later in his career when he is vying for the starting quarterback job.USC's 2026 season will kick off on Aug. 29 against the San Jose State Spartans.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/usc as Two USC Freshmen Bonding on Golf Course During Offseason .
