High School

Michigan Wolverines bus lobbies for Bryce Underwood, Elijah Dotson at Belleville-Saline game

Underwood is committed to LSU and Dotson to Pitt, but these fans are trying to change that

Mike Swanson

Bryce Underwood, left, and Elijah Dotson drew the eye of Michigan Wolverines fans Friday night.
Bryce Underwood, left, and Elijah Dotson drew the eye of Michigan Wolverines fans Friday night. / Photos by Scott Hasse

Belleville quarterback Bryce Underwood is committed to LSU, and teammate Elijah Dotson is committed to Pitt.

Michigan Wolverines fans didn't care about that Friday night at the Michigan high school football playoff game between Belleville and Saline.

Hundreds of Michigan Wolverines fans decked out in pro-Underwood/Dotson gear took a "Go Blue" bus to Belleville High School on Friday night to try to keep two star players home:

Underwood is the top recruit in the class of 2025, and he has been committed to LSU since January. But that hasn't stopped the Wolverines from showing interest.

A University of Michigan football coach and GM were on the Belleville sideline just a couple of weeks ago.

Though he's committed to Pitt, Dotson made an official visit to Michigan last weekend for the Oregon Ducks game, and some expect the four-star safety to flip.

The Tigers (10-1) went on to win their fourth straight straight district title Friday night with a 42-7 victory over Saline.

Underwood showed his prowess on the ground with a bulldozing run into the end zone in the first half.

Live score recap: Belleville, Bryce Underwood defeat Saline in Michigan high school football playoffs

Saline (7-4) forfeited three wins earlier in the season due to an ineligible player, so this was the only game where the Hornets were beaten on the field all season.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS OF BRYCE UNDERWOOD'S JUNIOR SEASON:

Here's 247 Sports' scouting report on Dotson:

"Has played safety, corner, receiver, return man and some wildcat quarterback in high school. Has above average size and plays physically. Will put his face in the action in run support and will get his hands on receivers if playing man to man.

"Receiver background helps in his ball skills. Versatile and can play deep in the secondary or come into the box as well as match-up one on one with slots and tight ends. Most likely projection is safety, but it is not out of the question a school could try him as a big corner.

"Track background speaks to his athleticism and has enough straight line speed to recover and run down plays."

And 247 Sports has a lot to say about Underwood:

"Potential franchise signal caller with the ideal blend of size, arm talent and athleticism. Exhibited no shortage of field command midway through senior season, which makes sense given resume: over 48 career starts and upwards of 165 touchdowns accounted for.

"Those numbers are amplified even more by the fact that he’s extremely young for the grade and won’t turn 20 years old until his third year of college. 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 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."

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-- Mike Swanson | swanson@scorebooklive.com | @sblivesports

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Mike Swanson, SBLive Sports
MIKE SWANSON

Mike Swanson is the VP of Content for High School On SI. He's been in journalism since 2003, having worked as a reporter, city editor, copy editor and high school sports editor in California, Connecticut and Oregon.

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