Michigan Football: Bryce Underwood makes recruiting history, draws comparison to NFL superstar

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Chris Breiler | Last updated Jan 30, 2025 5:22 PM ET

It's safe to say that the hype is real when it comes to Michigan's prized recruit in the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood. The five-star QB and No. 1 overall prospect in the country made plenty of waves during his recruitment, ultimately flipping from LSU to the Wolverines just before the early signing period. While reports of an NIL deal ranged from $10 million to over $12 million, there's no doubt that Michigan went all-in to get its QB1 moving forward.

On Thursday, On3 reported that Underwood became the first recruit to ever receive a 100 rating from its recruiting service. Additionally, the scouting report on Underwood draws comparisons to current NFL superstar quarterback Josh Allen, and projects that Michigan's freshman QB could likely become the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft at some point in the future.

NEW: Michigan QB signee Bryce Underwood is the first recruit to ever receive a 100 rating from On3

"The combination of size, arm talent, and athleticism is reminiscent of players like Josh Allen and Cam Newton." -@CharlesPower

Story: https://t.co/8Tf8JwCJxs pic.twitter.com/MXqG8VIs8H
— On3 (@On3sports) January 30, 2025

This is all music to the ears of Michigan football fans, particularly after a 2024 season where the Wolverines struggled mightily at the quarterback position. Michigan cycled through three quarterbacks throughout the first seven weeks of the season, ultimately settling on senior QB Davis Warren from Week 8 and beyond. And while Warren certainly made some strides as the season progressed, his overall performance fell far short of anything resembling "elite".

With Underwood now in the fold, Michigan has a legitimate shot at turning what was one of the worst passing offenses in the country in 2024 to an offense that is extremely dangerous through the air. The freshman QB will need to battle incoming transfer Mikey Keene (Fresno State) for the starting job this off-season, but it's inevitable that Underwood will ultimately assume the role of QB1 in Ann Arbor. And if he's able to live up to the hype currently building around his colligate career at Michigan, there's a pretty good chance that the maize and blue faithful will be celebrating more championships in the near future.