Michigan QB Bryce Underwood named On3 Preseason True Freshman All-American

Michigan Wolverines quarterback Bryce Underwood enters the program as hyped as any true freshman in school history. That will not slow down anytime soon, with the likelihood he starts the 2025 season under center in Ann Arbor.

Those were the expectations on the table when you sign a five-star prospect and the top quarterback in the country. Director of Scouting and Rankings at On3 | Rivals’ Charles Power has Underwood as a no-brainer selection on his Preseason Freshman All-American team.

“Bryce Underwood was our wire-to-wire No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle and is the most gifted quarterback prospect to come through high school football in the past few years,” Power wrote. “Underwood became the heavy favorite to become Michigan’s starter the second he flipped from LSU to the Wolverines last November. The 6-foot-4, 230-pounder has a huge arm and plus athleticism. He’ll need to continue refining his mechanics, but the potential is sky high and should make for appointment viewing.”

Other Big Ten freshmen in the mix include Oregon wide receiver Dakorien Moore, Washington offensive lineman John Mills and Ohio State’s linebacker Riley Pettijohn and cornerback Devin Sanchez.

ESPN’s Billy Tucker also recently tabbed the Michigan freshman as the No. 2 player in his class this upcoming season.

“The keys have not been handed over yet, but it’s likely only a matter of time,” Tucker wrote. “Underwood will undoubtedly have highs and lows as a 17-year-old true freshman, but he’s one of the best physical quarterbacks we have evaluated in the past 20 years and has an extremely high football IQ. At 6-foot-4, 210 pounds, he doesn’t look like a freshman. Underwood can take a hit but also take off in the open field. It’s his passing skills that earned him the No. 1 ranking in the class last year and a multimillion-dollar NIL deal. He has smooth footwork in the pocket for a player of his stature and natural arm strength to make all the throws in Chip Lindsey’s offense.”

Head coach Sherrone Moore said that he will let his Michigan team know the decision before the general public sometime early in game week. The criteria has been laid out clearly.

“Whoever the starting quarterback is, it’s to raise the level of the team,” Moore said. “For [Underwood], for [sophomore] Jadyn Davis, for [graduate] Jake Garcia, Mikey Keene — to make sure that they put themselves in position that they’re the best version of a quarterback they can be for Michigan football.

“And be leaders of the offense. Obviously, we always talk about the offense and team is led by the offensive line, but the quarterback has to be the captain of that room, that offense. Whoever that is, that’s who I want them to be.”