The No. 1 quarterback in the country made the next step in his football journey official on Wednesday when Bryce Underwood signed his Letter of Intent to Michigan during a ceremony at Belleville High School on the first day of college football's early signing period.
Two weeks ago, Underwood told Michigan school officials he was flipping to the Wolverines after being committed to LSU since January.
Head coach Sherrone Moore and general manager Sean Magee helped keep Underwood in his home state, along with the assistance from Oracle founder Larry Ellison on the NIL front. Even Michigan legend and 7-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady got involved and sparked conversations with the Belleville product.
On Wednesday, Underwood explained a couple of the reasons he decided on Michigan, focusing on academics and the ability to take care of his family.
"School is a big thing as well, Underwood said. "My education is everything. Me being in and pushing my home state school—a big college, to the next level with a couple national championships (is the goal)."
Underwood said the Wolverines came back into the picture when he took a step back and looked at what would be the most beneficial to his family, while adding Michigan was a top three school for him throughout his entire process.
"(Michigan came back into the picture) when I had to figure out where my perspective was and everything that would help my family out the most," he said.
Even though he just signed and is just at the beginning stages of his career at Michigan, Underwood said he has already thought about what it would be like to step on the field and envision how his career will play out.
"More than likely, record-breaking honestly," Underwood said. "Just doing what I am supposed to do and what I have been doing for my whole life."
Underwood graduates high school on Dec. 19 and will enroll at Michigan immediately after that while taking part in the team's bowl practices.
As far as his expectations on whether he will be the starting quarterback or not next fall, Underwood said he is just focusing on being at his best.
"I'm willing to do whatever it takes to be the best," Underwood said. "If that (being the starter) is what comes with it, yes."
On Wednesday, Moore confirmed the staff had had conversations about adding a veteran presence in the quarterback room through the transfer portal, citing the value of having depth at every position.
Moore added that Underwood is the type of player that doesn't want anything given to him and is willing to work to earn his spot.
"I think for him, it's about the work," Moore said. "The process of how you got to where you got to, you worked to get there. It didn't just happen. So, for him, he's going to have to work. He's going to have to put the work in. Day in, day out. And I think that's his mentality, I think his family, how he's been brought up. I think that's going to play a huge role into it. And who he is. And there's not going to be a humbling session, because the kid is very humble. The kid wants to be good. And the kid knows it takes work to be good. It's not just going to happen. So, he wants to be pushed, and he will be."
In fact, Moore said Underwood's first question to him was about how late he could stay in the building to get work in. Moore told him he could stay as late as he wants, while raving about his skillset.
"He has a great skillset, elite skillset," said Moore. "From the pocket, out of the pocket, deep ball, touch, intermediate, short. He's talked to me about different things we want to do with him to expand his game and we'll do that. But an exceptional leader and he loves the game. He loves to grind. He loves to get better. So excited, very excited to get him here and get to work."
Ultimately, Underwood feels like he is ready for the college game and is eager to get to work in a Maize and Blue uniform.
"How fast I am able to process and how fast I am able to learn," Underwood said on what makes him prepared for the next level.
Underwood's teammate, four-star safety Elijah Dotson, will join him as a Wolverine and also signed his NLI at the event.
The two had thought about joining forces at the next level before making it a reality on Wednesday.
Dotson has nothing but praise for his teammate.
"He just pushes me to be better every day," Dotson said. "Outside of being a great player, he's a great human being. We're brothers."
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