Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore watches quarterback Bryce Underwood (19) Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan’s young guns: Freshman duo lands on “Impact Players” Top 10 list

Originally posted on Michigan Wolverines on SI
By Jerred Johnson | Last updated Jun 19, 2025 4:03 PM ET

Michigan's 2025 recruiting class developed slowly, similar to the 2026 class. Then things exploded in Ann Arbor. The top player in the country, Bryce Underwood, announced that he was "home" at Michigan. Landing Underwood was enough to move the Wolverine recruiting haul into the top 10. Securing the commitment of the 11th-ranked player in the same class, offensive lineman Andrew Babalola, pushed the class to 6th in the country.

Reports from Schembechler Hall indicate both players are living up to and exceeding their expectations. Underwood looks like he has the QB1 position on lock, and Babalola has been mentioned as a potential day one starter on the offensive line. Recently, Fox College Football analyst Michael Cohen released his "Top 10 Impact Freshman" for the 2025-2026 season, and to nobody's surprise, Underwood and Babalola cracked the list. Underwood came in as the number one potential impact player, and Babalola landed eighth on the list.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CFB on FOX (@cfbonfox)

Underwood and Babalola will be key pieces in a Michigan offense that is seeking to become a more balanced attack. Long known for their 'run first, pass as little as possible' mentality, the new offensive coordinator has publicly stated that Michigan will become a more balanced team offensively. Having elite young talent like Underwood and Babalola will make that transition smoother in Ann Arbor.

This article first appeared on Michigan Wolverines on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: