Former LSU football player Bryce Underwood reveals the reason he transferred to Michigan

Brian Kelly and the LSU football team signed the No. 7 recruiting class in America on December 4th, led by several five-star prospects that put the program on the map on December 4th.

One name that didn’t sign with Kelly’s program was Bryce Underwood, the No. 1 overall prospect in the 2025 cycle.

Underwood had previously been committed to the LSU Tigers for over 300 days, but a late surge on the NIL front led Michigan to sign their top-ranked signal-caller in the 11th hour.

A player with “generational talent,” he will suit up for a program just 30 minutes from his hometown of Belleville after signing with Michigan in December.

“He will go down as the best quarterback in the state of Michigan in the last 30 years, if not ever,” said Charles Power, On3’s director of scouting and rankings. “He is a top athlete. We’ve seen him add a rushing element to his game where he’s a legitimate weapon with the ball in his hands. I pegged him as a prospective franchise quarterback coming out of high school.

But what made Underwood decide to join the Michigan Wolverines in November? Was it the reported $12 million NIL package? Could it be because the university was 30 minutes away from his hometown?

The sought-after signal-caller explained the process, what led to his decision and his feelings toward LSU in an interview on “Kickin It With Dee”:

What led to the decision? What made Michigan attractive?

“Knowing who I am as a person Training is a big deal for me. Michigan probably has one of the best college educations outside of Ivy League schools. That’s one of the things that stood out.

The late Michigan push:

“It wasn’t against LSU or anything like that. It was mostly my family and the best situation for me. So that was the main part.”

Michigan’s pitch:

“I felt like it was the right decision for me to be successful both outside of football and in football. All in all, I feel like I would be perfectly fine. Also given the support system (in Michigan) and being in my home state.”

Thoughts on LSU now:

“It’s nothing but love at LSU. They gave a lot of support. The atmosphere is insane. It was a crazy experience, I loved being here.”

It’s clear college football is in a different place. The money provided to athletes is significant and has played a crucial role in where players take their talents.

The Wolverines then put together an impressive offer for Underwood that gave the five-star player “life-changing money.”

Underwood is already a household name in Michigan, as the 6-foot-2, 220-pound player finished his high school career with a 50-4 record and won two state titles for Belleville during his freshman and sophomore years.

After the stay-at-home decision was announced, 104.5 ESPN Radio’s Matt Moscona announced that the deal for Underwood had reached the $12 million mark.

For Underwood, it’s life-changing money. According to On3 Sports, there have been several reports about the amount in recent months, with figures hovering around the $10.5 million mark, but it appears the number increased as the early signing period got closer .

Now, Underwood will enroll early in Ann Arbor and have the chance to make an immediate impact with the Michigan Wolverines as he begins his college career.

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Follow Zack Nagy on Twitter: @znagy20 and LSU Tigers on SI: @LSUTigersSI for all coverage surrounding the LSU program.