No. 1 Prospect Takes Shot At Spartan Rival Michigan
There seems to be a new era of high school football in the state of Michigan. A Midwestern state, it has never been known has a hotbed for football talent. As far as the region goes, that title belongs to neighboring Ohio -- a notable pipeline for Ohio State, Michigan, and Michigan State.
Lately, each class seems to have more quality prospects and blue-chippers, four-stars and even five-stars. Of course, that list has been topped by 2025 No. 1 prospect, Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood. An LSU commit, Underwood has been touted as nothing short of prodigious.
Late into his recruitment, the struggling Wolverines made it their mission to attempt to flip the state's best prospect since -- probably ever. The maize and blue was willing to pony up for a $10-million NIL deal that would have spanned for four years. An absurd bargain to get even the most elite talents.
By the looks of it, Underwood seems to hold steady in his commitment to the Tigers. On Friday, he played his final game of his high school career in the Michigan Division I regionals against a powerhouse Detroit Catholic Central team. It was a 35-21 loss for Underwood.
However, during the contest, he rushed for a touchdown. Then he seemed to throw up the LSU 'L' gesture in what seemed to be a stamp on a potential final decision.
A potential shot at the Wolverines?
Belleville 2025 QB Bryce Underwood (LSU commit) takes it himself and reminds 100 fans on the corner of the field he’s committed to LSU.
— The D Zone (@TheD_Zone) November 16, 2024
D1 Regional Final: #2 Detroit Catholic Central (11-0) leads #3 Belleville (10-1) 21-14 just before halftime. @BellevilleFB… pic.twitter.com/vWxBwjHpL9
What hurts for the Wolverines is the fact that the program is at a place, after a national championship, that they can't even get an in-state prospect with the help of an eight-figure deal.
One that has garnered comparisons to Vince Young (whom Wolverine fans remember for his dominant performance against the maize and blue in the 2005 Rose Bowl).
"Potential franchise signal caller with the ideal blend of size, arm talent and athleticism," 247Sports' Andrew Ivins wrote. "Has continued to improve as a passer and has gotten much more in tune with his mechanics. However, the biggest revelation in his final prep campaign has been his ability to move the chains with his legs as he builds speed and dodges defenders as an open-field runner with a frame that’s north of 6-foot-3 and pushing 215 pounds. Displays excellent pocket awareness for his age and isn’t one that panics as pressure builds. Does best to stay on schedule and hit his marks with authority, showing the ability to not only challenge tight coverage windows with velocity over the middle, but also throw with both touch and anticipation to the second and third levels.
"Projects as a multi-year impact player for a College Football Playoff contender that has a chance to eventually emerge as a first-round pick in the NFL Draft with his tools. Might need a semester or two to find his footing, but his ability to hunt big plays and distribute on the move could be hard to keep off the field even if he’s still learning how to dissect complex defenses."
Michael France is Sports Illustrated's Michigan State recruiting beat writer, covering all things Big Ten recruiting for Spartan Nation. Be sure to follow him on Twitter/X@michaelfrancesi for exclusive Spartans recruiting coverage.
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