The wild recruiting saga of four-star safety Peyton Bowen came to an end Thursday when he signed with Oklahoma on Thursday, one day after he flipped his commitment from Notre Dame to Oregon. Bowen had been a longtime Irish commitment before his stunning flip to the Ducks on National Signing Day. But Bowen wasn't done and flipped again Thursday when he made the announcement that he will join coach Brent Venables' Sooners in a post on Twitter.
"As I reflect on yesterday's whirlwind, I recognize that I made some mistakes that I regret and will learn from," he wrote. "Navigating this process has been a rollercoaster. With that being said, I also know that I was blessed to be in the position to consider multiple wonderful universities as I continue my football career.
"Soon after choosing Oregon yesterday morning, I came to the realization that the direction was not the best path for me. I immediately started to rethink my future."
Bowen also offered an apology to Notre Dame and Oregon.
"Oregon and Notre Dame faithful, I am sorry for how I handled this process," he wrote. "Changing my decision on Signing Day, the hat pump fake, all of it could have been handled better. I can't change what I did, but this experience is something that I will learn from."
Bowen is ranked the No. 3 safety in the Class of 2023 by 247Sports and is considered a five-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite. The Denton, Texas, native earned Under Armour All-America Honors this season while starring for Guyer High School. He also competes in track.
In a scouting report on Bowen, 247Sports Midlands Region Recruiting Analyst Gabe Brooks noted that, at 6-foot and 185 pounds, Bowen owns the "requisite height and frame" of a premier safety. Here is more from Brooks' scouting report on Bowen:
Sudden athlete with lateral mobility and great initial burst and acceleration. Dangerous as a center fielder thanks to ability to cover territory and make plays on the ball. Shows functional athleticism to man up when needed. Turns and locates very well. Outstanding tester. Two-sport athlete with above average track times relative to age (11.31 100, 22.71 200 as a sophomore). Extensive experience in high-leverage situations and against great competition. Helped team to a Texas 6A D-II state runner-up finish as a junior. Good long speed on the field but can still find another gear at the top end, which track data reflect. Occasionally provides the big hit, but right now more effort tackler who will need to add strength and arriving pop with more consistency.
Bowen also shined at receiver and on special teams in high school and could be used in the return game by the Sooners. He posted a 22.56-second 200-meter dash, triple-jumped just over 46 feet and long-jumped just under 23 feet as a junior in Spring 2022.
The news that Bowen flipped again is a tough break for an otherwise fantastic early signing period for Oregon. Coach Dan Lanning was one of the big winners Wednesday when he signed EDGE Matayo Uiagalelei, ex-Notre Dame commit and four-star running back Jayden Limar, Baylor quarterback commit Austin Novosad and LSU cornerback commit Daylen Austin. Bowen's decision to flip stings a bit, but Lanning's new class is still one of the best in the country.
Notre Dame is also hurting after Bowen's wild 24 hours.
Bowen was the highest-ranked commitment in Notre Dame's class when he flipped, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He was the Fighting Irish's lone five-star commitment from the Composite and a hallmark commitment of coach Marcus Freeman's first full recruiting cycle.
