The second domino to fall from BYU’s most important recruiting visit of the year did so on Friday. And this time, it fell in BYU’s favor.
Jackson Bowers, a four-star tight end according to 247Sports, committed to the Cougars over Washington, Alabama and others.
The Arizona native immediately became BYU’s highest-rated recruit in the 2023 recruiting class — the first of the Big 12 era for the program.
Bowers took his official visit to BYU in June along with three other four-star recruits. It was the first time that the program had four highly rated recruits on campus at the same time.
According to people around the program, it was the most highly choreographed visit the program has put on with head coach Kalani Sitake heavily involved. With Bowers, Ethan Thomason, Hunter Clegg and Walker Lyons all there, Sitake pitched the quartet becoming the new face of the Big 12 era.
“It definitely felt like this was an important weekend for the program,” Thomason told The Salt Lake Tribune. “They didn’t go over the top to where it is unrealistic. But you could feel it was really important.”
Out of the four on that visit, Bowers is the first to commit to BYU. Clegg, a four-star edge rusher on that visit, committed to Stanford earlier this week.
Thomason and Lyons remain uncommitted.
BYU always thought it could be competitive in the race to get Bowers. Tight end, after this season, will be a position of need for the Cougars. Unlike at Alabama or Washington, there was a clear path for Bowers to play quickly.
The rising senior also comes from Mesa, Ariz., a stronghold for BYU recruiting.
BYU landing Bowers is a positive turn for the Cougars who were disappointed last week when the American Fork product Clegg picked Stanford. BYU thought Clegg would lean toward his hometown team. He also would have played quickly given the Cougars’ need at defensive line.
