Bryce Underwood

Last updated

Bryce Underwood
Michigan Wolverines
Position Quarterback
ClassFreshman
Personal information
Born: (2007-08-19) August 19, 2007 (age 17)
Height6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)
Weight208 lb (94 kg)
Career history
College
High school Belleville (Belleville, Michigan)
Career highlights and awards

High school

  • 2× MHSAA Division 1 State Champion (2021, 2022)
  • MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year (2021)
  • MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year (2022)
  • Michigan MaxPreps Player of the Year (2022)
  • 2× Michigan High School Football Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
  • 2× Michigan Associated Press Division 1-2 Player of the Year (2021, 2024)
  • 2× Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year (2023, 2024)
  • Michigan Mr. Football (2024)

Bryce Jay Underwood (born August 19, 2007) is an American college football quarterback for the Michigan Wolverines. He was a five-star recruit, and the consensus No. 1 overall ranked high school football player in the nation in 2024. Underwood will be a freshman at the University of Michigan in 2025.

Contents

Early life

Underwood was born on August 19, 2007, the son of Jay and Beverly Underwood. He attended Belleville High School, and played football for the Tigers under coaches Dejuan Rogers and Calvin Norman. [1] [2] In Underwood's freshman season, he led his team to a Michigan High School Athletic Association (MHSAA) state championship. In the title game against Rochester Adams High School, he completed 12 of his 21 passing attempts for 284 yards and five touchdowns, while also rushing for 62 yards and a touchdown. [3] In total for his freshman season, he threw for 2,888 yards and 39 touchdowns with just four interceptions, while also adding six scores on the ground. [4] For his performance on the season, Underwood was named the MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year and the Michigan Associated Press Division 1-2 Player of the Year. [5] [6] [7]

In his sophomore season, he passed for 2,762 yards with 37 touchdowns, while rushing for 632 yards and eight touchdowns. [8] Underwood led Belleville to an undefeated season and a second consecutive state championship. Following the season, he was named the MaxPreps National Sophomore of the Year and the Michigan MaxPreps Player of the Year. [9] [10] In his junior season, Underwood passed for 3,329 yards and 44 touchdowns with just three interceptions; while also rushing for 199 yards and seven touchdowns. He led Belleville to a third consecutive state championship appearance, but lost to Southfield A&T High School, snapping a 38 game winning streak throughout his high school career. [11] [12] Following his junior season, Underwood was voted the Michigan High School Football Player of the Year by the state media and awarded the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year. [13] [14]

Entering his senior season, Underwood was rated as a five-star recruit, the No. 1 quarterback and the No. 1 overall player in the class of 2025. [15] Underwood held offers from nearly every division 1 school, such as Louisiana State University (LSU), Alabama, Ohio State, Florida, Penn State and Michigan. [16] On January 6, 2024, Underwood initially committed to play college football for the LSU Tigers. [17] [18] On September 13, 2024, Underwood broke two MHSAA state records, for the most career passing touchdowns and most career total touchdowns, eclipsing the previous state records of 124 passing touchdowns and 151 total touchdowns. [19] [20] As a senior, Underwood failed to make a fourth consecutive appearance in the state championship game, losing to powerhouse Detroit Catholic Central High School in the regional championship. [21] In total as a senior, he passed for 2,509 yards, throwing 32 touchdown passes and six interceptions, while also rushing for over 600 yards and an additional six touchdowns. [22] [23]

Following the season, he was awarded the Michigan Gatorade Player of the Year, voted the Michigan High School Football Player of the Year, and named the Michigan Associated Press Division 1-2 Player of the Year; winning all three for a second time in his career. [24] [25] [26] He also won the 2024 Michigan Mr. Football Award. [27] Underwood finished his four years at Belleville with a 50-4 record, two state championships, and was credited with 12,919 all-purpose yards and 179 total touchdowns; including passing for 11,488 yards and 152 touchdowns (all four being MHSAA state records). [28]

On November 21, 2024, after his senior season, Underwood flipped his commitment from LSU to the Michigan Wolverines, staying in-state to play under head coach Sherrone Moore. At the time of his commitment, he was ranked as the No. 1 high school football player in the nation by ESPN, 247Sports and On3 in the 2025 college football recruiting class. [29] On December 4, 2024, Underwood officially signed his national letter of intent (NLI) during the early signing period to play college football at the University of Michigan. [30] [31]

College career

In December 2024, Underwood was admitted to the University of Michigan as an early enrollee. He will practice with the 2024 Michigan Wolverines football team in preparation for the ReliaQuest Bowl (but will be ineligible to play in the game), before spring practices begin for his 2025 season as an incoming freshman. [32]

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References

  1. ↑ McCabe, Mike (November 27, 2021). "How a freshman QB led Belleville to the state championship". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  2. ↑ Dixon, Shea (June 20, 2024). "5-star+ QB Bryce Underwood locks in another LSU visit". On3.com. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  3. ↑ Bernreuter, Hugh (November 27, 2021). "Belleville follows star freshman QB to first football state title in school history". MLive.com. Retrieved June 21, 2024.
  4. ↑ Purcell, Jared (November 3, 2022). "Player of the Year top 10: Belleville QB Bryce Underwood has top-tier talent". MLive.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  5. ↑ Spiewak, Stephen (January 7, 2022). "Bryce Underwood of Belleville named 2021 MaxPreps National Freshman of the Year". CBS Sports. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  6. ↑ Galli, Brad (August 27, 2022). "State title, national attention: Belleville QB Bryce Underwood did it all as a freshman, now looks forward". WXYZ.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Belleville freshman QB Bryce Underwood named Michigan AP Division 1-2 Player of the Year". WXYZ.com.
  8. ↑ "Bryce Underwood Recruiting Profile". 247Sports.
  9. ↑ Purcell, Jared (November 26, 2022). "Bryce Underwood shines again in D1 title game as Belleville football claims back-to-back titles". MLive.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  10. ↑ Harvey, Paul (January 6, 2024). "Bryce Underwood, 5-star QB out of Michigan for 2025, reveals commitment". Saturday Tradition. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  11. ↑ VanHaaren, Tom (January 6, 2024). "LSU lands No. 1 recruit in 2025 class, QB Bryce Underwood". ESPN. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  12. ↑ Crawford, Kirkland (January 6, 2024). "Belleville QB Bryce Underwood, top player in country, commits to LSU over Michigan". Detroit Free Press. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  13. ↑ "Belleville High School Student-Athlete Named Gatorade Michigan Football Player of the Year" (PDF). Gatorade.
  14. ↑ Purcell, Jared (December 7, 2023). "Belleville 5-star QB Bryce Underwood named 2023 Michigan High School Football Player of the Year". MLive.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  15. ↑ Navaro, Manny; Wasserman, Ari. "QB Bryce Underwood, No. 1 prospect in Class of 2025, commits to LSU". The New York Times. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  16. ↑ Meek, Austin (July 24, 2023). "Can Michigan keep Bryce Underwood home? Meet the next big quarterback recruit". The New York Times. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  17. ↑ Riley, Koki (January 6, 2024). "LSU lands commitment from QB Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall player in Class of 2025". NOLA.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  18. ↑ Purcell, Jared (January 6, 2024). "5-star QB Bryce Underwood commits to LSU over Michigan and other top programs". MLive.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  19. ↑ "LSU commit Bryce Underwood breaks Michigan high school football career records". Sports Illustrated (High School).
  20. ↑ "High school football: LSU commit Bryce Underwood breaks two state records with six touchdown performance". MaxPreps.
  21. ↑ "Football Recap: Belleville Takes Loss Despite Strong Efforts from Bryce Underwood and Charles Britton III". MaxPreps.
  22. ↑ "Bryce Underwood Bio". University of Michigan Athletics.
  23. ↑ "Gatorade 2024-2025: Player of the Year - Football - Michigan". Gatorade.
  24. ↑ "Michigan QB signee Bryce Underwood named Gatorade Michigan Football Player of the Year". On3.
  25. ↑ "Star QB Bryce Underwood of Belleville named Division 1-2 player of year by Michigan sports writers". WZZM ABC 13 Lansing.
  26. ↑ "Bryce Underwood's goal of being 'the best' results in his second Football Player of the Year award". Mlive.
  27. ↑ "Bryce Underwood - Belleville - 2024 STATE CHAMPS! Mr. Football Interview". Youtube (State Champs! Network).
  28. ↑ "Bryce Underwood Bio". University of Michigan Athletics.
  29. ↑ "Michigan football flips Belleville's Bryce Underwood, nation's No. 1 recruit, from LSU". Detroit Free Press.
  30. ↑ "No. 1 recruit Bryce Underwood officially signs on for Michigan football's 2025 class". Detroit Free Press.
  31. ↑ "Watch: Belleville HS stars Bryce Underwood and Elijah Dotson officially sign with the Michigan Wolverines". 247Sports.
  32. ↑ "QB Bryce Underwood admitted to Michigan, can begin practicing this week". Mlive.
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