QB Underwood, No. 1 recruit for ’25, turns to U-M

• Eli Lederman, ESPN

  Staff WriterNov 21, 2024, 06:35 PM ET Close Eli Lederman covers college football and recruiting for ESPN.com. He joined ESPN in 2024 after covering the University of Oklahoma for Sellout Crowd and the Tulsa World.Five-star quarterback

Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 possibility in the 2025 ESPN 300 recruiting rankings, has actually turned his dedication from LSU to Michigan, he validated on social media Thursday.Underwood revealed the news with a video posted to Instagram with the caption”Home town Hero.”Underwood, a 6-foot-4, 210-pounder from Belleville, Michigan, is the leading pocket passer in the class. With his flip, he becomes the highest-rated offensive dedicate in Michigan program history and the top possibility in Sherrone Moore’s inaugural recruiting class, which presently sits at No. 14 in ESPN’s team rankings for the 2025 cycle.YES SIR! #GoBlue The Best players in Michigan go to Michigan! #ProcessoverPrize 25– Sherrone Moore(@Coach_SMoore )November 21

, 2024 Underwood’s relocation comes as the current piece of seismic quarterback movement atop the 2025 class ahead of the start of the early finalizing duration Dec. 4

. First-class quarterback Julian Lewis decommitted from USC on Nov. 17 and subsequently pledged to Colorado previously Thursday.Committed to LSU because Jan. 6, Underwood stayed the crown jewel of Brian Kelly’s 2025 class over the previous 10 months. Yet Michigan remained in contact with Underwood throughout his senior season at Belleville High School– positioned less than 30 minutes from Michigan Stadium.Editor’s Picks 2 Associated The Wolverines magnified their pursuit of Underwood over the previous 2 months, with sources informing ESPN that the program stepped up with a competitive NIL package. The Oct. 30 decommitment of four-star quarterback devote Carter Smith (No. 155 in the ESPN 300)from the Wolverines heightened the buzz around

a possible flip by Underwood.Michigan protects a potentially program-defining quarterback and one of the most considerable promises in program history less than 12 months after Moore replaced Jim Harbaugh after the Wolverines declared the 2023 national championship.If Underwood signs with the Wolverines on Dec. 4, he will be the very first No. 1 hire to join Michigan considering that the program inked protective tackle Rashan Gary in 2016. Underwood likewise would sign up with Gary and protective backs Jabrill Peppers(2014 class )and Dax Hill (2019) as the only first-class potential customers to land in Ann Arbor given that 2006, per ESPN rankings.He will mark the Wolverines’highest-ranked quarterback promise since Michigan landed Ryan Mallett (No. 12 )in the class of 2007. Whether Underwood is prepared to take control of as the starter in 2025, his dedication brings crucial stability to the quarterback position in Ann Arbor as Moore closes an unstable first season.Michigan has actually struggled to determine a replacement for national title-winning quarterback J.J. McCarthy in 2024, bouncing in between Davis Warren, Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle across a 5-5 start this fall. Warren and Orji hold eligibility beyond this season, as does previous 2024 four-star quarterback possibility Jadyn Davis.Michigan likewise holds a dedication from four-star quarterback Brady Hart in the 2026 cycle.A composed passer with speed to test opposing defenses outdoors field, Underwood has spent the past 4 years as one of the nation’s most sought after potential customers, ranked ahead of leading quarterbacks Lewis, Tavien St. Clair(Ohio State )and Keelon Russell (Alabama)in the 2025 ESPN 300. Underwood burst onto the nationwide scene in 2021, when he tossed for 2,888 backyards and 39 touchdowns in his freshman season at Belleville. He led the Tigers to back-to-back state titles

in his very first two seasons under center, then earned Michigan Gatorade Gamer of the Year honors

as a junior in 2023, when he finished 64.8%of his passes for 3,329 yards and 44 goals while directing Belleville to a third consecutive state title game appearance.With only one regular-season loss because September 2021, Underwood and Belleville went into the state playoffs this month as favorites to declare the program’s 3rd state champion in four years.