Michigan Wolverines NIL Collective Opens Up About Flipping Star Football Recruit

Champions Circle released a statement after the Michigan Wolverines won a major recruiting battle.

Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood makes a pass against Saline during the first half of district final at Belleville High School in Belleville on Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A lot is going on in the world of college football with spots in conference title games and the College Football Playoff picture coming into focus. But, the biggest headline grabber was on the recruiting trail, where NIL played a deciding role.

The No. 1 quarterback and first-overall ranked player in the 2025 class, Bryce Underwood, was originally committed to the LSU Tigers. But this week, he changed his mind.

The star decided to flip his commitment to the Michigan Wolverines, as the defending national champions address the biggest hole on their roster. Quarterback has been an issue for years, but should no longer be with the talented Belleville High School product now part of their 2025 class.

That move could not have been done without the school’s NIL collective, Champions Circle, and their donors coming up with a massive amount of money. There have been reports of Underwood being offered $10.5 million, with Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy and legendary alum, Tom Brady, helping the cause.

The collective shared a statement on social media, which included a quote from founding member and chairman, Nate Forbes.

“We are very excited to keep Bryce home in Michigan as he continues to build his legacy. I want to personally thank Jolin and Larry Ellison who were instrumental in making this happen by providing Champions Circle with invaluable guidance and financial resources.”

According to the statement, more than 11,000 individuals have contributed to Champions Circle to help Michigan teams remain championship-caliber across all sports.

Landing Underwood was a massive move, but they aren’t close to being done. As shared by Von Lozon of Maize N Brew, they are setting their targets on more high-profile recruits to add to the 2025 class along with the star quarterback.

Reports state that five-star offensive lineman Ty Haywood, four-star wide receiver Derek Meadows, four-star linebacker Nathaniel Owusu-Boateng, four-star linebacker Bradley Gompers, four-star cornerback Alex Graham and four-star edge defender Tobi Haastrup are all on their radar as well.

In the current age of NIL, nothing is set in stone when it comes to recruits. If a program is willing to offer more money, as the Wolverines were with Underwood, commitment flips are going to occur.