In a stunning development that has sent shockwaves through the college football recruiting world, Bryce Underwood, the consensus No. 1 overall prospect in the class of 2025, announced on Thursday that he has flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan. The five-star quarterback from Belleville, Michigan made his decision public in a video posted to Instagram, proclaiming himself a “hometown hero” by choosing to play for the Wolverines.
Underwood’s flip comes as the latest earthquake in a seismic shift at the top of the 2025 quarterback rankings with the early signing period just 13 days away. His decision follows fellow five-star signal-caller Julian Lewis decommitting from USC last week before pledging to Colorado earlier on Thursday.
Michigan Lands Highest-Rated Commit Ever
By landing Underwood, Michigan secures the highest-rated recruit in program history. The 6’4″, 210-pound pocket passer instantly becomes the crown jewel of new head coach Sherrone Moore’s inaugural recruiting class in Ann Arbor. Underwood’s commitment vaults the Wolverines’ 2025 class to No. 14 in ESPN’s latest team rankings.
Moore replaced Jim Harbaugh less than a year ago after leading Michigan to the 2024 national championship as offensive coordinator. Now he has reeled in a potentially program-changing QB talent and one of the most important commitments the school has ever received.
Underwood will become the first No. 1 overall recruit to sign with Michigan since defensive tackle Rashan Gary in 2016. The Wolverines have landed only three other five-star prospects in the 19 recruiting classes since 2006, according to ESPN’s rankings.
Underwood Brings Stability and Star Power to QB Room
Whether the elite Belleville product is ready to take over as the starter in 2025 or not, his pledge provides critical stability to a Michigan quarterback room that has struggled to find a replacement for departed national title winner J.J. McCarthy this season.
Sources tell ESPN that the Wolverines stepped up their pursuit of Underwood over the past two months and secured his commitment in part by presenting a competitive NIL package. Michigan’s need for QB help became even more pressing when four-star 2025 commit Carter Smith decommitted on Oct. 30.
Flip Deals Significant Blow to LSU’s 2025 Class
For LSU, losing Underwood is a massive blow to a 2025 class that he had been the unquestioned headliner of since committing to the Tigers back on Jan. 6. While head coach Brian Kelly still holds commitments from multiple four-star prospects, Underwood represented the potential crown jewel of a class that could have vaulted LSU back into perennial playoff contention.
Bryce is the type of transformational talent that can alter the trajectory of your program. Losing him, especially this late in the process, definitely stings.
– Source close to LSU program
Underwood Boasts Unique Talent and Accolades
A poised and accurate pocket passer with elite arm talent and enough speed to make plays with his legs, Underwood has been turning heads since bursting onto the national scene as a freshman phenom in 2021.
That season, he threw for 2,888 yards and 39 touchdowns while leading Belleville High to a state championship. Underwood led the Tigers to another title as a sophomore before earning Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year honors in 2023 after completing 64.8% of his passes for 3,329 yards and 44 scores.
Rated ahead of other elite 2025 QB prospects like Lewis, Ohio State commit Tavien St. Clair and Alabama pledge Keelon Russell, Underwood has led Belleville to just one regular season loss since September 2021. The Tigers entered the Michigan state playoffs in November as strong favorites to claim a third championship in four years with Underwood at the helm.
Early Signing Period Drama Builds
With the early signing period opening on Dec. 4, Underwood’s decision marks the latest bombshell development in a 2025 recruiting cycle that has seen its share of fireworks in recent weeks, especially at the game’s most important position. If he does indeed sign with Michigan next month as expected, Underwood will provide an electrifying building block for Moore to construct his program around for years to come.
