Michigan isn’t just banking on talent—they’re all-in on the future. And that future starts with Bryce Underwood. The Wolverines made a major NIL push to land the five-star quarterback and No. 1 overall recruit in the 2025 class.
He’s already turning heads with his rare mix of athleticism and poise. One national voice who’s especially impressed?
Pro Football Focus college football analyst Dalton Wasserman, who believes Michigan may have struck gold.
“If you’re going to build a quarterback in a lab, this is what you would want,” Wasserman said of Underwoods’ upside. “He says he feels like he's getting even more explosive as an athlete, and the arm talent is apparent. He's got a cannon for an arm, and there's not a whole lot of windup to it. It's a quick, compact delivery that can rifle passes downfield.”
That arm talent may headline the scouting report, but Underwood’s early development is what’s turning heads in Ann Arbor. He’s already showing signs of being more than just a raw athlete.
“I thought he looked composed in the spring game,” Wasserman said. “Especially on the quick throws—those short, efficient passes that move the chains. I think that’s going to be big for him.”
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Wasserman compared Underwood’s early development to Florida's DJ Lagway, who struggled with consistency last season while chasing big plays.
“Lagway tried to hit a lot of home runs but was inefficient underneath,” Wasserman said. “I think Underwood can be efficient on those short throws.”
That kind of polish, especially this early, is what makes Underwood such an intriguing piece for Michigan’s offense. If he can continue to grow in the intermediate game while fine-tuning his deep ball, the Wolverines could have the total package under center.
There’s still room to grow, though.
“The supporting cast is the big question,” Wasserman said. “There were some nerves in the spring game. A few deep throws sailed high, and he’s still working on that accuracy. But his receivers also need to create more separation.”
You can definitely see the foundation. Underwood has the physical tools, and mentally, he’s already a step ahead of most freshmen. Now it’s really about building chemistry, keeping things consistent, and smoothing out the finer details.
If the program puts the right pieces in place, he could be the guy they’ve been waiting for — the leader who kicks off the next chapter in Ann Arbor.