Brian Kelly and the LSU football staff signed the No. 7 Recruiting Class in America headlined by multiple five-star prospects putting pen to paper with the program on Dec. 4.

One name that didn’t sign with Kelly’s program was the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle, Bryce Underwood.

Underwood had previously been committed to the LSU Tigers for over 300 days, but a late surge on the NIL front propelled Michigan to land the top-ranked signal-caller in the 11th-hour.

A player with “generational talent,” he’ll suit up for a program just 30 minutes away from his hometown of Belleville after signing with Michigan in December.

“He’s going to go down as the top quarterback in the past 30 years in the state of Michigan, if not ever,” On3’s Director of Scouting and Rankings Charles Power said. “He is a top athlete. We saw him add a rushing element to his game, where he is a legitimate weapon with the ball in his hands. I’ve labeled him as a franchise quarterback prospect out of high school.

But what made Underwood flip to the Michigan Wolverines in November? Was it the reported $12 million NIL package? Could it have been the university being 30 minutes away from his hometown?

The coveted signal-caller explained the process, what led to his decision and his feelings towards LSU in an interview on “Kickin It With Dee”:

What Led to the Decision? What Made Michigan Attractive?

“Knowing who I am as a person, education is a big thing for me. Michigan probably has one of the best educations in college period outside of Ivy League schools. That’s one of the things that stood out.”

The Late Michigan Push:

“It had nothing against LSU or anything like that. It was mainly my family and the best situation for me. So, that was the main part.”

Michigan’s Pitch:

“I felt it was the right decision for me successful wise outside of football and in football. All the way around I feel like I’d be perfectly fine. Also, with the support system [in Michigan] as well with me being in my home state.”

Thoughts Towards LSU Now:

“It’s nothing but love at LSU. They gave a bunch of support. The atmosphere is insane. It was a crazy experience that I loved being around.”

It’s clear college football is in a different place. The money being tossed around to athletes is substantial and has played a pivotal role in where players take their talents.

For Underwood, the Wolverines pieced together an impressive offer down the stretch that provided “life-changing money” for the five-star.

Underwood is already a household name in Michigan with the 6-foot-4, 215-pounder ending his high school career with a 50-4 record while bringing home a pair of state titles for Belleville in his freshman and sophomore campaigns.

After the decision to remain home went public, 104.5 ESPN Radio’s Matt Moscona revealed the deal for Underwood reached the $12 million mark.

It’s life-changing money for Underwood. There had been several reports over the last few months on the amount it would be with numbers hovering around the $10.5 million mark, according to On3 Sports, but it appears the number went up as the Early Signing Period inched closer.

Now, Underwood is set to enroll early in Ann Arbor with the chance to make an instant impact with the Michigan Wolverines as he begins his college career.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers On SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.