No. 1 prospect Bryce Underwood releases Michigan commitment video

Belleville (Mich.) Five-Star Plus+ quarterback Bryce Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to Michigan on Thursday night, shaking up the recruiting world in the process.

The Wolverines are keeping the nation’s No. 1 overall prospect home, while the Tigers are now without a QB pledge just two weeks until National Signing Day. Underwood released a commitment video on Thursday, solidifying his flip.

The video begins with a clip of a young Underwood in 2016 saying that he would be playing with the Wolverines. Eight years later, he’s now set to head to Ann Arbor and sport the maize and blue.

pic.twitter.com/owaL5uEIfP

— Bryce Jay Underwood (@BryceUnderwoo16) November 22, 2024

Rumors began to circulate surrounding Underwood and Michigan at the end of October, as an NIL-led charge to flip the top-ranked gunslinger was reportedly underway. On3’s Pete Nakos reported on Thursday night that while NIL was not “the deciding factor” in Underwood’s decision, it certainly helped the Wolverines’ chances.

“With the opportunity to compete for a national title roughly 30 minutes from his hometown of Belleville, Michigan, and land an NIL package that would change his family’s life, it was hard to pass, sources said,” Nakos wrote. “Michigan general manager Sean Magee and the Champions Circle NIL collective were critical to the flip.”

Wolverines make a seismic splash by flipping Underwood

Underwood now headlines a recruiting class that ranks No. 8 in the nation, per the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings. He and five-star offensive tackle Andrew Babalola sit atop the class, while four additional top-100 prospects are also in the mix. On Wednesday, Underwood’s high school teammate, four-star cornerback Elijah Dotson, flipped to U-M from Pitt.

“The guys understanding what the culture is like, what the vision is for the program and I think that’s why we’re getting these high-level kids,” Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore told On3’s Steve Wiltfong on Thursday. “Guys that want to be part of bringing back what has been the last couple years of Michigan football.”

Michigan isn’t done making magic happen on the trail this cycle, either. The Wolverines are now surging for multiple other blue-chip prospects to go along with Underwood. Wiltfong logged a pair of picks in the On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine in favor of U-M to flip two top-150 prospects on Thursday night.

All eyes are on Ann Arbor with National Signing Day just 13 days out.