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Aug 31, 2024; Gainesville, Florida, USA; Florida Gators quarterback DJ Lagway (2) runs with the ball against the Miami Hurricanes during the second half at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-Imagn Images

Is Bryce Underwood The Best Freshman Ever?

Originally posted on Stadium Rant | By Wayne Gregoire | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 3:44 PM ET

Michigan Wolverines freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood made waves when he signed a four-year deal worth $10 million. He is arguably the most hyped college signing ever, and according to Barstool president Dave Portnoy, he is the best college freshman ever. That’s quite a label to put on a teenager who has played just one game in college. How does he match up to some of the NCAA’s best freshmen from just the last 25 years?

Full Freshman Seasons

In 2012, Texas A&M freshman signal-caller Johnny Manziel became the first freshman in NCAA history to win the Heisman. He led the Aggies to an 11-2 record, including a 41-13 win over Oklahoma in the Cotton Bowl. He completed 68% of his passes for 3,706 yards (285.1 yards per game) and 26 touchdowns to just nine interceptions. He also ran the ball 201 times for 1,410 yards. That’s more than Georgia’s Todd Gurley (1,385), Alabama’s Eddie Lacy (1,322), and a large number of other college running backs who made the NFL. He put up even bigger numbers the following year, but didn’t repeat as the Heisman winner, losing to yet another freshman.

Florida State Seminoles two-sport star quarterback Jameis Winston won in 2013. He completed 66.9% of his passes for 4,057 yards (289.8 yards per game) and threw 40 touchdowns to 10 interceptions. FSU went 14-0, riding Winston’s arm to a National Championship win over Auburn. It’s hard to say a player who’s only attempted 31 career passes has had a better season already than two players who threw for 7,700 yards and 6 touchdowns combined. It’s downright unfair, but maybe a better measurement would be looking at the best starts in freshman history.

One Game

Underwood completed 67.7% of his passes in his first career game for 251 yards and 1 touchdown. Winston’s first start in September of 2013 (against Pitt), he completed 25 of 27 passes (92.6%) for 356 yards and 4 touchdowns. Manziel lost his first start to the Florida Gators 20-17, completing 23 of 30 passes (76.7%) for 173 yards and no touchdowns. He did score a rushing touchdown, carrying the ball 17 times for 60 yards. Underwood may have had a better first game than Manziel, but nowhere near the debut that Winston had.

Oklahoma standout and the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft had a better debut than Underwood, too. In his first start freshman year, he completed 21 of 23 passes (91.3%) for 363 yards and three touchdowns. DJ Lagway had maybe the best first start of any freshman in history. Not initially the starter, Lagway got the start against Samford after Florida Gators first-string quarterback Graham Mertz suffered a concussion in week one versus the Miami Hurricanes. Lagway took full advantage, completing 18 of 25 passes (72%) for 456 yards and three touchdowns.

End Of My Bryce Underwood Rant

It’s clear that Portnoy was suffering from the Gen Z condition known as recency bias. He doesn’t know about Manziel’s first season, Winston’s first game, or even Lagway’s first start less than a year ago. Someone could also let him know that Underwood didn’t even have the best start among college freshmen this season. Maryland Terrapins’ freshman starter Malik Washington dominated Florida Atlantic last week, completing 27 of 43 passes (62.8%) for 258 yards and three touchdowns.

That’s just going over quarterbacks and ignoring other skill positions like running back. Adrian Peterson had 100 yards rushing in his first start as a freshman and finished the season with almost 2,000 yards. Could Underwood finish the season as one of the best freshmen in history? Of course. Anything is possible. Is he the best freshman ever right now? Not even close. Not by a long shot.

This article first appeared on Stadium Rant and was syndicated with permission.

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