The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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42 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JANUARY 2025 ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING BY CHARLES POWER B r yc e Un d e r wo o d , O n 3 's No. 1 quarterback and over- all prospect in the 2025 cycle for going on two years, sent shock waves throughout college football on Nov. 21 by flipping his commitment from LSU to Michigan. The Belleville (Mich.) High standout's switch to the in-state Wolverines capped a weeks- long pursuit that included a record- setting NIL package. A Five-Star Plus+ prospect who is the No. 1 overall prospect in the On3 In- dustry Ranking, Underwood becomes the highest-rated Michigan commit in the internet recruiting era. (A Five-Star Plus player is one who holds a five-star ranking from each of the four individual recruiting services that comprise the On3 Industry Ranking. And a Five-Star Plus+ player is the rarest of the rare — a unanimous No. 1 prospect.) Let's break down what makes Un- derwood a tenure-altering recruit for head coach Sherrone Moore and a po- tentially program-defining quarterback for Michigan. ELITE ARM TALENT Underwood is undoubtedly one of the top arm talents in a very deep 2025 quar- terback cycle nationally. We've seen him make eye-popping throws on a consis- tent basis over the past four seasons. He has explosive arm talent that im- mediately stood out as a high school underclassman. There has been a le- gitimate "wow factor" to watching him throw the ball on Friday nights. He em- ploys considerable torque to uncoil his long arms, resulting in a whippy motion that produces very high RPM's on the football. Quite simply, the ball jumps out of his hand. Underwood is able to touch all areas of the field with his arm strength. He can push the ball vertically 60-plus yards downfield and makes far-hash throws look routine. The new Michigan commit is equally lethal in working the quick game and RPO's, with his tight spiral and high spin rate pro- ducing rare juice on the tail of his passes. While Belleville often saw over- matched teams in the regular season, Underwood has shown the ability to stick the football into tight windows when needed. He's able to quickly diag- nose leverage and has a quick trigger. We saw this on display in his lone appear- ance on the 7-on-7 circuit this offsea- son, with Underwood stealing the show at Overtime's OT7 Orlando Regional. Given his ability to process and play fast, he should be able to transition to the uptick in game speed with relative ease. RUN GAME THREAT We long considered Underwood to be a potential run threat and he showed tantalizing glimpses of big-play ability with the ball in his hands as a senior. He came out of the gates with a huge game on the ground, showing vision, power and the speed to pull away at the second level on designed runs. While he wasn't asked to run of- ten, Underwood proved lethal when his number was called, rushing for 6 touchdowns with over 600 yards on the ground as a senior. That type of rushing ability paired with his elite arm talent makes Underwood the most versatile quarterback prospect in the 2025 cycle. GAME CHANGER QB Bryce Underwood Is A Program- Altering Commitment For Michigan Underwood led Belleville (Mich.) High to a 50-4 record and two state championships. He broke the Michigan state records for most total touchdowns (179) and passing touchdowns (152) in a high school career, while finishing his illustrious prep career with 11,488 yards passing. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL