Nation's No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood focused on LSU, NFL instead of NIL payday

As top recruits flocked to campuses this weekend for official visits, Bryce Underwood stayed home in Belleville, Michigan. 

The nation’s No. 1 prospect and top-ranked quarterback has no plans to pit schools against each other for a crazy NIL package in June, like other top quarterbacks historically have. As a Five-Star Plus+ LSU commit, he’s locked in with the Tigers. In the era of NIL and booster-funded NIL collectives, it’s rare to see Underwood not take any visits to other schools this month. 

“It’s mainly about what I’m trying to get to,” he said at the On3 Elite Series. “My main goal is the NFL, first draft pick. Money is going to be the last thing I’m thinking about until I get to the league.

“Just keep the main thing, the main thing.”

Thanks to a close relationship with quarterbacks coach Joe Sloan, Underwood feels comfortable about the plan in place in Baton Rouge. As a high schooler in Michigan, he cannot turn a profit off his NIL. He picked the Tigers over the top programs in the country, including in-state Michigan. 

Underwood isn’t making NIL factor the main decision in his recruitment. Underwood and fellow five-star commit Harlem Berry also cleared up the notion that LSU is lacking in the NIL department. Underwood’s father, Jaquan Underwood admitted they’ve had “silly” cash thrown at the family once, but that was clearly a one-time moment and not a trend. 

“You know what, we have encountered that just one time,” Jaquan Underwood said with a laugh. “But it was pretty funny because they did it out of panic mode, but other than that it’s been a great process just to keep him grounded and keep him working.

“I don’t want to get it twisted, money is a huge deal. At the same time again, man, it’s about Bryce being able to turn his dreams into goals. So whatever field he goes in football, sports, man, I’m great with it as long as long as he’s happy.”

The 6-foot-4, 214-pound quarterback could technically be a 2026 prospect, but he’s completing school early as part of the 2025 class. Underwood won’t even turn 17 until August. He’s been ranked as On3’s No. 1 prospect and No. 1 2025 quarterback for the past 15 months.

Underwood threw for 3,329 yards and 41 touchdowns this past season, completing 64.9% of his attempts and throwing just three interceptions while leading Bellville to the Division 1 state title game. That was enough to be named 2023 Michigan football Gatorade Player of the Year.

Jaquan Underwood told On3 that his son has not signed with an agent yet, and that will likely become a goal at the end of this upcoming high school season. He also noted that like most top prospects, they’ve certainly had agents tracking them down to sign them as representation. Throughout the recruiting process, Underwood and his family would show up to LSU unannounced to try and catch the staff “off guard,” as Jaquan Underwood said.

Every time the Tigers delivered, even when they were not expecting Bryce Underwood. With nearly 100,000 social media followers, the Five-Star Plus+ quarterback will certainly have NIL value to brands when he arrives in Baton Rouge. 

“We try to put the cash in the back of the whole situation because whatever his dreams are, we want him to live those out,” Jaquan Underwood said. “The money is going to come when he’s just living his dreams.”

Bryce Underwood learned from other’s NIL mistakes

At last week’s On3 Elite Series, players heard from speakers about what they need to be wary of as they go through the recruiting process. One of the top concerns for top recruits in the 2025 class when it comes to NIL is the potential for broken promises.

Specifically, the $13.85 million deal that fell apart between Florida and four-star quarterback Jaden Rashada. The highly publicized, NIL-fueled breakup is now at the center of a lawsuit. Watching how the saga has played out has made Bryce Underwood aware of whatever he chooses to do in NIL.

“Honestly, just keeping my name clean [is a priority],” Underwood said. “Just focusing on what my main goal is [the NFL] and keep everything out of the way. … LSU, honestly, just keeps building and building the process of their players. The growth I’ve seen the last couple of years in Jayden Daniels, Garrett Nussmeier and now Colin Hurley. Just seeing the growth of them is bringing me closer and closer [to LSU].”