Michigan football swung but missed with the initial Bryce Underwood sweepstakes, with the 2025 Belleville (Mich.) five-star quarterback and No. 1 overall recruit in the class committing to LSU back in January. However, the Wolverines redoubled their efforts, and have worked behind the scenes to pry Underwood off of his pledge to the Tigers.
There has been a lot of conflicting information in the recruitment. While the Wolverines have actually worked to make a substantial offer via name, image and likeness — a practice we hadn’t previously seen (or at least known about) for a high school recruit — it’s no guarantee that Underwood flips. But, according to two people, who have knowledge of the situation and told WolverinesWire under the condition of anonymity, there’s a lot of misinformation circulating regarding the recruitment.
We’ll work to clear some of the air here.
Did Underwood reject Michigan football?
Not yet, no. And yet isn’t necessarily a harbinger that he will.
On Thursday evening, Underwood posted to his Instagram story noting that he would likely reject the Michigan football offer and remain with his original pledge to LSU. One person close to the situation told WolverinesWire to pay attention to the word ‘likely.’ Maize & Blue Review’s Josh Henschke confirmed that the post was a ‘troll.’ Underwood deleted the post not long after it was circulated that he had made it.
In the aftermath, some outlets suggested that Michigan football was thus out. However, as of Friday evening, that’s not the case. The Wolverines are still working to flip him from LSU, and Underwood has not rejected their overtures—at least not at this juncture.
Thursday’s post was the closest Underwood has come to publicly rebuff the offer to flip, but given Henschke’s report, our own reporting, and the fact that Underwood has not yet definitively spurned Michigan’s advances, the mutual interest continues and is very real. Will that end up in a flip or will Underwood stick with his original commitment? Time will tell on that one. Belleville’s season ended on Friday night, so now his focus can turn, in earnest, to figuring out his next step.
How much is Underwood being offered via Michigan football and NIL?
There were initial reports indicating he was being offered $5 million, then it was reported that it was $10.5 million. The latter number coming out was the center of some drama and controversy behind the scenes.
However, our sources have indicated that neither the $5 million nor the $10.5 million number are accurate.
What we can report is that those who are funding Michigan’s NIL efforts here are presenting an offer that it feels will potentially entice Underwood to flip and that it is likely beyond what LSU would be able to match. What that number actually is will likely go unreported accurately due to those involved purposely keeping it close to the vest.
What happens now?
It’s unclear. Underwood is committed to LSU and still reportedly wants to play for the Tigers. However, Michigan football has come in with a competitive pitch and the Underwood camp is taking it seriously.
Underwood could reaffirm his pledge to play in Baton Rouge at any time, and on Thursday it had briefly appeared as if he was doing that before he deleted it and the reports of trolling. Michigan still has some work to do, but it is believed that Underwood is receptive to the Wolverines’ pitch. Will that be enough? Time is running short, with early signing day approaching on Dec. 4. But there is some confidence that Michigan will be able to complete the flip, and has at least put itself within a coin flip of getting Underwood into a winged helmet.
Time will tell.
