Can Michigan Football Recruiting Still Land Nation’s No. 1 Recruit?

As of today, December 6th, 2023, the commitment of five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood (MI) remains open. That said, in exactly one month, the No. 1 recruit in the nation will announce what school he will be playing for over the next few years, and believe it or not, Michigan football recruiting remains among the top contenders right now. That said, things are looking very good for Brian Kelly and the LSU Tigers — can Jim Harbaugh and his Wolverines still pull it off?

Michigan football recruiting still in the mix for five-star quarterback Bryce Underwood?

First off, just like Dante Moore in the 2023 class, Michigan football recruiting is feeling a lot of pressure to land Bryce Underwood as its 2025 quarterback. Why? Well, for starters, he is the No. 1 recruit in the country; perhaps more importantly, he is also a native of Michigan and plays high school ball about 20 minutes from Ann Arbor.

As all fans — and Michigan’s coaching staff — are aware, not being able to keep elite in-state talent at bay is not good. As I mentioned, Michigan missed on Dante Moore, the No. 1 player in Michigan in the 2023 class, and could miss out on another top-ranked five-star quarterback target from MI with Underwood if he opts to go elsewhere.

Things looking up for LSU Tigers in pursuit of No. 1 recruit in the country

While Michigan has put its best foot forward here, things don’t look too great for the Wolverines right now. 100% of the crystal balls placed for Underwood are in favor of LSU, and the On3 recruiting prediction machine gives the Tigers a 91.9% chance of landing the elite five-star quarterback from Belleville, MI.

Bryce Underwood has been quite optimistic about the progress and development of JJ McCarthy throughout the season, though McCarthy’s year in Michigan’s run-first offense seems to be trumped by Jayden Daniels’ Heisman-caliber season down on Baton Rogue. He has talked on end about both college QBs, and his recent trips to Ann Arbor have some fans very optimistic, but I see it as a long shot at the moment.

Not to say that Bryce Underwood couldn’t shock the world with his decision or have a last-minute change of heart, but all signs currently point to LSU poaching the state’s top prospect from Jim Harbaugh’s backyard. It’s also worth noting that Michigan football already took another QB in the 2025 recruiting class: four-star Carter Smith out of Fort Meyers, FL.

It’s time to sit and wait for January 6, when Underwood will be making his announcement, but as of right now, I wouldn’t bet the farm on Michigan coming out on top.

Michigan fans how does 2025 5 ⭐️ QB & #1 ranked QB in the nation Bryce Underwood look in a Michigan uniform? 🔥

STAY HOME 👀🤞🏽

(IG/19bryce.__) @BryceUnderwoo16 pic.twitter.com/41rXYw6ZEc

— BluePrintJay (@BluePrintJay) May 20, 2023

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