The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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50 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JANUARY 2025 BY EJ HOLLAND T he arly signing period is of- ficially in the books. Mich- igan finished with 23 signees and has the No. 9 ranked re- cruiting class nationally going into the late signing period (be- gins Feb. 5), per the On3 Indus- try Team Recruiting Rankings. Here are our early signing pe- riod superlatives: Best Signee This one was an easy pick. Five-star Belleville (Mich.) High quarterback Bryce Un- derwood is ranked as the No. 1 quarterback and No. 1 overall prospect in the country. The Gatorade Player of the Year for the state of Michigan, Under- wood finished his senior season with 2,509 yards and 32 touch- downs passing and also added over 600 yards and 6 TDs on the ground. Michigan has a desperate need for an elite-level quarterback, and Underwood provides that. An early enrollee, he will have an opportunity to start for Michi- gan as a true freshman. From tremen- dous arm strength to superior accuracy, Underwood checks a lot of boxes and is a special talent. Biggest Sleeper There were quite a few options for this category, but we'll give the nod to three-star Lake Worth (Fla.) San- taluces wide receiver Jamar Browder. Tabbed as the No. 92 wide receiver and No. 567 overall prospect in the On3 In- dustry Ranking, Browder has been slept on by the recruiting services. He had a strong senior season and was a per- sonal favorite of Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore, who pushed to get him in the class. Michigan made it a point to add size to the wide receiver room, and Browder definitely fits the bill at 6-foot-5, 208 pounds. Michigan went two straight cycles without land- ing a wide receiver taller than 6-foot-2, which means Browder could get on the field earlier than his ranking suggests. Immediate Impact Signee There is a chance Michigan adds a transfer portal quarterback, and Un- derwood sits for a year. If that scenario happens, the most logical pick for this category is Fulshear (Texas) Katy Jordan wide receiver Andrew Marsh. Ranked as the No. 13 wide receiver and No. 90 overall prospect nationally in the On3 Industry Ranking, Marsh is the high- est-rated Michigan signee at the po- sition since the 2022 recruiting cycle. Michigan has a need for playmakers at wide receiver, and the expectation is for Marsh to come in and make an immedi- ate impact. While he's not a burner, Marsh is a tactical route runner, plays bigger than his 6-foot, 175-pound listing and makes things happen after the catch. Future Team Captain Three-star Alcoa (Tenn.) High tight end Eli Owens earned the nickname "The Vice President" during the re- cruiting cycle because he was very ac- tive in helping Michigan recruit others to Ann Arbor. Owens has a magnetic personality and is full of charisma. While he's not the most highly ranked prospect, Owens, the No. 33 tight end and No. 600 overall recruit, commands respect from those around him and is a guy you want to follow. He's a natural born leader. Owens has drawn comparisons to Michigan H-back Max Bredeson, who was voted a team captain as a senior. Like Bredeson, Owens is a devastating blocker, but he may offer even more as a pass catcher. Fastest Man Top-100 cornerback Shamari Earls of Chester (Va.) Thomas Dale is the best Michigan defensive signee and also the fastest player in the class. Earls is physically impressive at 6-foot-2, 203 pounds. He's a tall, long corner in the same mold as Michigan star Will John- son. The fact that he's such a big cor- ner makes his track times that much more impressive. Earls ran a 10.6 in the 100-meter dash and a 6.36 in the 55-meter dash (finishing second in the state of Virginia) as a junior. While not a track time, it's worth noting that Earls won a Virginia state championship in the long jump as a junior with a leap of 23 feet, 10.75 inches. Earls, the No. 5 cornerback and No. 32 overall prospect nationally per On3, is a freak athlete and should play right away at Michigan. Most Athletic Earls could have been selected for this category as well, but we'll give the nod to On300 Monroe (N.C.) High safety Jordan Young. Michigan wanted to get more athletic at the nickel position, so it's no surprise the Wolverines fo- cused on Young, On3's No. 8 safety and No. 99 overall recruit nationally. Young is a playmaker on the back end, but he also doubles as one of the best wide re- ceivers in the state of North Carolina. Young is looking to play both ways at ❱ FOOTBALL RECRUITING Signing Day Superlatives Fulshear (Texas) Katy Jordan standout Andrew Marsh — the No. 13 wide receiver and No. 90 overall prospect in the On3 Industry Ranking — is the highest-rated Michigan signee at the position since the 2022 recruiting cycle. PHOTO BY EJ HOLLAND