NaVorro Bowman Jr. became the highest-rated recruit in the 2027 class to commit to a school Thursday, choosing UConn. Bowman is the son of former San Francisco 49ers four-time All-Pro linebacker NaVorro Bowman.

Bowman Jr., ranked 11th in the 2027 class in the 247Sports Composite, is the only five-star recruit to commit so far this cycle. The transfer portal has contributed to fewer high school commitments occurring in the fall compared to past cycles, while the NCAA's new age-based eligibility model, which allows athletes five seasons of competition, means few current roster players will exhaust their eligibility after the 2026-27 season.

At UConn, for example, only guard Isaiah Shaw is currently projected to run out of eligibility, though the Huskies could see early departures to the NBA Draft, most notably projected lottery pick Braylon Mullins.

Bowman, a 6-foot-3 combo guard, averaged 20.5 points and 3.6 assists this summer on the Nike EYBL circuit. He becomes UConn's first commitment in the 2027 class and the fifth five-star recruit signed by coach Dan Hurley.