Sherrone Moore talks Bryce Underwood, Andrew Babalola, other Michigan 2025 signees

Trent Knoop | Dec 5, 2024

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

With the first day of the early signing period in the books, Michigan football signed 21 of its current 23-man recruiting class for the 2025 cycle. Cornerback Jayden Sanders is expected to sign on Friday, while tight end Andrew Olesh is set to make his final decision on Friday and the Wolverines are hoping to sign him over both Oregon and Penn State who are pushing down the wire.

After signing the majority of the class, head coach Sherrone Moore spoke with Jon Jansen on 'In The Trenches' to react to Moore's first recruiting class as the Wolverines' head coach. It's worth noting that Moore spoke about Sanders -- who hasn't signed yet -- while not mentioning Olesh.

Here's everything Moore said about his recruiting class.

Quarterback Bryce Underwood

“I mean, anytime you get the number one player, not only in your state, but the country, I think that's a huge thing for the program, a huge thing for us momentum-wise. But an unbelievable kid, first of all, like an unbelievable kid, he loves his teammates, he works hard. First question he asked me when we were in my office is like, 'Hey coach, how long is the indoor open'?

I'm like, 'As long as you want'. 'How long is the weight room open'? As long as you want.

'How long can I watch film'? As long as you want. So he wants to work, he wants to be great.

"He knows his standard is high, but the biggest thing will be just to just be a kid, relieve the pressure off yourself and don't put too much pressure on yourself. Just make sure you do the things you need to do, keep your head down and work and you'll be successful.”

Running back Jasper Parker

“Yeah, Jasper is eerily similar to Donovan Edward, just a longer, leaner frame, really good with hands out of the backfield, can make you miss, can run you over, has that ability.”

Running back Donovan Johnson

“And then Donovan Johnson, more of the bigger back, more of the thumper, but 220 pounds. I mean, you shake his hand, you look at him, he looks like a grown man, looks like he has two kids in a full-time job. He's one of those types of kids. So, excited to have them both here.”

Wide receiver Andrew Marsh

“Yeah, he's the runt, and he's six foot. So, like, though, I mean, he is dynamic. He is super dynamic with the ball in his hands, can play on the slot, can play outside, can catch bubble screens, can catch smoke screens, do all these different things you want, gives you great speed. So, super excited, and he plays great competition in Texas.”

Wide receiver Jacob Washington

“Yeah, very under recruited guy who we loved, and came from the same high school as Jasper Parker. Super athletic, great ball skills, smooth route runner, physical kid.”

Wide receiver Jamar Browder

“Yeah, big, big, big, tall, long, the ball fetcher type of guy you want. You want a guy that can go get the jump off. I feel like we got that with him. And we'll continue to find guys like that.”

Tight end Eli Owens

“Yeah, so he'll play more of that full-back, H-back, like Max [Bredeson], wear the same number in high school, but he's a go getter man. He loves football, plays H back, he plays D end, he plays, he's a soccer goalie, so he's everything you want in that position.”

Offensive lineman Kaden Strayhorn

“Kaden, man, he played right tackle at IMG this past year, he'll play center here. I've known him for a long time, I recruited him since he was a young buck. I mean, the kid, he loves football, he loves the game, he loves to get better, he loves to work, and I think he's gonna have a successful career here.”

Offensive lineman Avery Gach

“I mean, you talk about a guy that just like, he'll stare a wall right into you, looking in your eyes. He's all about the right things, all about the right makeup. He's physical, played both sides of the ball, I got to watch him live last year, and watch him, he almost, I mean, he had to be dragged off the field against his rival, which I think he beat this year. So the kid's a guy that can make an immediate impact.”

Offensive lineman Andrew Babalola

“Two years he's been playing football. Prior to that, just, he was focused on basketball. How important, one, athletic ability, and then two, he obviously picked up football quick because he's a five-star kid.

"Raw, but like, he don't know what he don't know and it's the best because he's gonna be a really good player. Got great foot speed, strike, understands, stands in front of people from the basketball piece, and has started to learn what it means to finish people. And whenever he figures it out in any clicks, it's gonna be scary.”

Defensive lineman Benny Patterson

“You watch his film, he plays so hard, plays so hard, plays so physical, long, disruptive. Has position versatility, because I think he can grow into an inside guy, probably will start out as an edge. But physical kid from the footprint and a guy we really loved as soon as we turned on the film.”

Defensive lineman Travis Moten

“A large athletic dude that could move. He's kind of a freak. I think he led the state of Kentucky in sacks, I think he had about 18 or 20.

"And the dude just, I mean, he has a motor, he's twitchy. He looked like a man amongst boys out there, and he played like it. And when you meet him in person, he towers over me, and I'm not a small person by any means. So he's about your size, Jon. He's about 6'6, but 296, and he don't look it. I mean, he looks like he's 270. "So he's going to be a huge human being, and excited to get him here."

Defensive lineman Bobby Kanka

“Yeah, Bobby's been a guy that's been committed for a while to us. Disruptive, played tight end in high school as well. Had a, you know, batted ball down, pick-six, I think this year. So extremely athletic and versatile kid, but ultimately ended up playing inside for us.”

Edge Julius Holly

“Super athletic, twitchy, has the ability to play, you know, that same position or the edge position for us and does multiple things. He's got great, great twitch, length, flexibility, super defined athlete and the way he moves is fluid. He worked out for here for us at camp and it was just so good and really liked him.”

Edge Nate Marshall

“Yeah, another footprint kid, long athletic. He was here in the summertime, worked out, was actually committed to us, flipped to Auburn, came back home to the right place, and we've always kept that connection relationship with him. But plays tight end in high school as well, so super athletic and a really good basketball player. So the athleticism is definitely there and excited to watch them grow.”

Linebacker Chase Taylor

“Yeah, so Chase is, I mean, super athletic. Play tight end as well. So a lot of these guys are both sides of the ball, but it's got length, got size, got speed. Filling guy that can play multiple positions on the defensive line or linebacker.”

Linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng

“He was trying to keep it a secret for the longest time. Kids today. But he's awesome, he's a great kid, he loves football, from Ghana, family's from Ghana, I think that's a big piece for him, and he wanted to be reached out to alumni from Ghana that didn't play football, or that played football and didn't play in the NFL, and I thought that was pretty cool, a kid wanting to dig that deep into his past and the history, so he's a guy that's gonna make an impact.”

Cornerback Shamari Earls

“I mean, long, physical corner, got elite. He's got great track speed, but he gives you what you want in a cover corner that can tackle, that'll hit. And you'll see him, you'll think he's a young edge player because he's just a long, skinny dude, but he's going to be a really good player for us.”

Cornerback Jayden Sanders

“Yeah, so he's a guy, man. He's a tireless worker. Again, another guy that's a great returner, plays receiver in high school, plays both ways, longer corner, about 6'1, 6'2, probably more 6'2. But physical corner.”

Safety Kainoa Winston

“Yeah, so from Gonzaga High School, same high school as Evan Link, this kid, dynamic two-way player, was a kick returner in high school. They stopped kicking to him after he took one to the house, so played running back, played safety corner for him, and he's a dynamic player that can move multiple positions.”

Safety Jordan Young

“Jordan Young, yeah, just flipped from Clemson, had a great relationship here for a long time, took an official visit this summer, great family, great younger siblings, they're the funniest, they're the best. But he is, he's an outstanding athlete, can play safety, can play nickel, fast, loves to hit, can cover in the slots, so gonna be a really big asset for us.”

Safety Elijah Dotson

“Yeah, he's a physical kid. He loves to hit, could play safety. Probably will start out at safety, he'll play nickel as well, but he's a guy that definitely has an ability in long range.”

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