The Georgia Bulldogs remain the favorites for the top tight end in the 2026 recruiting class. But that doesn’t mean Georgia isn’t facing fierce competition for the tight end on the recruiting trail.
Both On3’s Chad Simmons and Steve Wiltfong sees the Texas Longhorns and USC Trojans fully involved in the recruitment for five-star tight end Mark Bowman.
“I like the Bulldogs for Bowman, but Texas and USC are ones to keep an eye on for the reclassified tight end,” Wiltfong wrote. “UGA remains in the mix for multiple top targets at the position this cycle.”
Simmons argued the Bulldogs and Longhorns are “battling for the top spot” with Bowman.
“Texas was his childhood favorite school and the visit he had to Austin this spring pushed the Longhorns to the top of his list,” Simmons wrote. “He visited Georgia again after that visit and the Bulldogs have the momentum going into the official visits.”
That analysis from Simmons and Wiltfong could be particularly alarming for Bulldogs fans after Georgia lost five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.
Georgia was largely considered the favorite for Cantwell. But the five-star tackle surprisingly chose the Miami Hurricanes on May 13.
Bowman is the consensus top tight end in the 2026 recruiting class. According to the 247 Sports composite rankings, he is also the No. 4 California recruit and 16th overall prospect in the class.
The tight end stands at nearly 6-foot-5 and 225 pounds. Simmons reported that in addition to Georgia, Texas and USC, Bowman is considering Miami, the Ole Miss Rebels, and other potential schools.
Related: Georgia in Danger of Losing Coveted Playmaker Amid College Football Rumors
The NIL reality doesn’t end when a college player comes to the NFL.
Plenty of pro players make extra money through endorsement deals. And Dolphins rookie quarterback Quinn Ewers has gotten undoubtedly the biggest payday for any seventh-round draft pick in his first season.
Ewers announced on Friday that he signed an exclusive autograph trading-card deal with Panini. Per a source with knowledge of the arrangement, it’s a $3 million deal.
Which is not too shabby, given that his slotted four-year contract with the Dolphins as the 231st overall pick pays out a total of $4.3 million over four years.
Ewers took plenty of criticism for leaving at least $4 million on the table by entering the draft in lieu of transferring to the University of Miami. He’s currently 75 percent of the way there, in non-football earnings at the next level.
With the 49ers and Brock Purdy working out a long-term deal, there’s no other quarterback currently expected to get one in the immediate future.
Yes, there could be a tweaking of the ultra-long-term Patrick Mahomes contract, especially after the Bills tore up the last years of Josh Allen’s deal and replaced it with a $55 million-per-year-from-signing package. As it relates to guys who have never gotten a second deal, no one else is waiting to get paid.
The next one to get a new deal will be Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. He’ll become eligible after the 2025 regular-season finale. (Which means that the Texans could sign him to a new deal between Week 18 and the playoffs, if the Texans qualify.)
Despite the availability of the fifth-year option, the Texans likely won’t take a page from the Cowboys’ playbook and drag their feet through the cheap (relatively speaking) fourth year. Especially since the Texans recently signed cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. after only three seasons.
Stroud’s spot on the list of highest-paid quarterbacks remains to be seen. Purdy landed in a tie for No. 7. Stroud, with a better offensive line and overall improved offense, could put himself in position to fall between Allen and Dak Prescott and the cluster of guys who are in the vicinity of $55 million in new-money average.
Remember, the cap keeps going up. That means the market should keep going up, too.
Beyond Stroud, no one else from the 2023 draft class seems to be destined to get paid after the coming season. Panthers quarterback Bryce Young possibly could position himself for a second deal, with a breakthrough season. Colts quarterback Anthony Richardson first has to win the starting job before he can earn a second contract. Beyond Will Levis and his endorsement deal with Big Mayo, the 2023 quarterbacks won’t be getting big money.
In the interim, other quarterbacks in their second contracts could be getting a third deal. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson could be jostling for a correction, especially now that he has fallen to No. 10 in new-money average. Ditto for Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who has fallen out of the top 10, and for Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, who is making as much money as Trevor Lawrence and Jordan Love.
The quarterback big contract wheels will always keep on turning. For now, though, the Purdy deal seems to press pause on the process — unless and until Mahomes or Jackson or someone else in his second decides to make a play for another new contract before training camp opens.
Leave a Reply