No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood transfers to Michigan from LSU

Five-star cornerback Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 prospect in the ESPN 300 recruiting class for 2025, has switched his commitment from LSU to Michigan, he confirmed Thursday on social media.

Underwood announced the news by posting a video on Instagram with the caption “Hometown Hero.”

The 6-foot-4, 210-pound Underwood from Belleville, Michigan, is the top passer in the class. The shot makes him the highest-rated offensive tackle in Michigan program history and the top prospect in Sherron Moore’s first recruiting class, which is currently ranked No. 14 in ESPN’s team rankings for the 2025 cycle.

YES SIR! #GoBlue🔵 Michigan’s best players are coming to Michigan! #ProcessoverPrize25

— Sherron Moore (@Coach_SMoore) November 21, 2024

Underwood’s decision marks the latest step in the quarterback’s bid to dominate the 2025 class ahead of the Dec. 4 early signing period. Five-star quarterback Julian Lewis decommitted from USC on Nov. 17 and subsequently committed to Colorado on Thursday.

Enrolled at LSU on Jan. 6, Underwood has been the crown jewel of Brian Kelly’s 2025 class for the past 10 months. However, Michigan remained in contact with Underwood throughout his senior season at Belleville High School, located less than 30 minutes from Michigan Stadium.

The Wolverines have stepped up their pursuit of Underwood over the past two months, with sources telling ESPN that the program has stepped up with a competitive zero package. The Oct. 30 decommissioning of four-star quarterback Carter Smith (No. 155 in the ESPN 300 rankings) by the Wolverines has heightened the excitement surrounding a possible move for Underwood.

Michigan landed a potentially program-defining quarterback and one of the biggest commitments in program history less than 12 months after Moore replaced Jim Harbaugh after the Wolverines captured the 2023 national championship.

If Underwood signs with the Wolverines on Dec. 4, he will become the first No. 1 overall recruit to commit to Michigan since the program signed defensive tackle Rashan Gary in 2016.

Underwood will also join Gary and guards Jabrill Peppers (2014 class) and Dax Hill (2019) as the only five-star prospects to land in Ann Arbor since 2006, according to ESPN rankings.

He will be the Wolverines’ winningest defensive tackle since Michigan landed Ryan Mallett (No. 12) in the 2007 class.

Whether Underwood is ready to take over as the starter in 2025, his commitment will provide critical stability at the quarterback position in Ann Arbor as Moore comes off a tumultuous first season.

Michigan has struggled to find a replacement for 2024 national title-winning quarterback JJ McCarthy, bouncing between Davis Warren, Alex Orji and Jack Tuttle for a 5-5 start this fall. Warren and Orji are eligible after this season, as is former 2024 four-star defensive tackle prospect Jaidyn Davis.

Michigan also received a commitment from four-star quarterback Brady Hart in the 2026 cycle.

A low-key passer with the ability to quickly test opposing defenses in the open field, Underwood has spent the last four years as one of the nation’s most coveted prospects, ahead of top quarterbacks Lewis, Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State) and Keelon Russell (Alabama). ) in the 2025 ESPN 300.

Underwood burst onto the national scene in 2021 when he threw for 2,888 yards and 39 touchdowns in his first season in Belleville. He led the Tigers to back-to-back state titles in his first two seasons under center and then earned Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year honors as a junior in 2023 when he completed 64.8% of his passes for 3,329 yards and 44 touchdowns. while leading Belleville to its third straight state title game.

With just one regular-season loss since September 2021, Underwood and Belleville entered the state playoffs this month as favorites for the program’s third state championship in four years.