A shocker was reported in the college football recruitment world Thursday night, when Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect by ESPN 300, flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan.
Michigan was reportedly pulling out all the stops, and its checkbook, to land Underwood, the star quarterback for Belleville High School in the state.
The high school is a half hour away from Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor.
Underwood announced the news with a video on his Instagram story, captioning it “Hometown Hero.”
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Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood keeps the ball and runs against Saline during the second half of a district final at Belleville High School in Belleville Nov. 8, 2024. (Imagn)
The early signing period for high school athletes is less than two weeks away, making this a huge move for coach Sherrone Moore and the Wolverines.
Underwood is making history with this move to Michigan, becoming the highest-rated commitment in the program’s existence, not to mention Moore’s top recruit in his inaugural class.
Moore took over for Jim Harbaugh as Michigan’s head coach after the team’s national title run in 2023 when Harbaugh filled the Los Angeles Chargers’ head coach vacancy.
According to On3, Michigan was willing to offer Underwood $10.5 million in NIL money over four years, an unprecedented sum for a player who hasn’t played a college snap.
The report added earlier this month that LSU was hopeful Underwood would remain loyal to it after committing to the Tigers in January.
Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood keeps the ball and runs against Saline during the second half of a district final at Belleville High School in Belleville Nov. 8, 2024. (Imagn)
It’s unknown what Underwood’s NIL situation with the Wolverines is specifically, but it’s safe to say it played a factor in him staying put in his home state.
NIL money at these universities is changing the way recruiting is done, and since Underwood is a consensus No. 1 recruit, we’re seeing how these programs can flex their financial muscle to land some of the best players in the country.
Michigan’s pursuit of Underwood ramped up in the last couple months, according to ESPN, and the decommitment of Carter Smith, a four-star recruit, created buzz that Underwood could be flipping.
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Underwood can officially sign with Michigan Dec. 4, when he would become the first No. 1 overall recruit since Rashan Gary signed with the Wolverines in 2016.
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