No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood is transferring from LSU to Michigan

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

Underwood announced the news with a video posted to Instagram with the caption, “Hometown Hero.”

Underwood, a 6-foot-2, 210-pound player from Belleville, Michigan, is the best pocket passer in his class. With his move, he becomes the highest-rated offensive player in Michigan program history and the top prospect in Sherrone Moore’s first recruiting class, currently ranked No. 14 in ESPN’s team rankings for the 2025 cycle.

YES, LORD! #GoBlue🔵 The best players in Michigan go to Michigan! #ProcessoverPrize25

– Sherrone Moore (@Coach_SMoore) November 21, 2024

Underwood’s move is the latest move in a seismic quarterback move at the top of the 2025 class before the early signing period begins on Dec. 4. Five-star quarterback Julian Lewis decommitted to USC on Nov. 17 and then transferred to Colorado early Thursday.

Underwood has been committed to LSU since Jan. 6 and has remained the crown jewel of Brian Kelly’s Class of 2025 for the past 10 months. Still, Michigan stuck with Underwood throughout his senior season at Belleville High School – less than 30 minutes from Michigan Stadium in contact.

The Wolverines have intensified their pursuit of Underwood over the past two months, with sources telling ESPN that the program has been bolstered with a competitive NIL package. The October 30 decommitment of four-star quarterback Carter Smith (No. 155 in the ESPN 300) by the Wolverines increased enthusiasm for a possible move for Underwood.

Michigan secures a potentially program-defining quarterback and one of the most significant commitments in program history, less than 12 months after Moore replaced Jim Harbaugh after the Wolverines won the 2023 national championship.

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

Underwood would also join Gary and defensive backs Jabrill Peppers (Class of 2014) and Dax Hill (2019) as the only five-star prospects to land in Ann Arbor since 2006, according to ESPN’s rankings.

He will be the Wolverines’ highest-ranked quarterback commitment since Michigan signed Ryan Mallett (No. 12) in 2007.

Regardless of whether Underwood is ready to assume the starting role in 2025, his commitment brings critical stability to the quarterback position in Ann Arbor as Moore caps off a tumultuous first season.

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

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

Underwood is a composed passer with speed that can test opposing defenses in the open field. Over the past four years, Underwood has been considered one of the most sought-after talents in the country, ahead of top quarterbacks Lewis, Tavien St. Clair (Ohio State) and Keelon Russell (Alabama). ) on the ESPN 300 2025.

Underwood burst onto the national stage 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 as center and was named Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year as a junior in 2023 when he completed 64.8% of his passes for 3,329 yards and 44 touchdowns to lead Belleville to third Back-to-back appearances in a 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.